Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from our weekly newsletter that I’ve chosen to republish on the site. Merry Christmas!

Now it’s the season to be jolly. Christmas is a super special time of the year for me. I was a devout Catholic up until I was 15 (I attended Catholic Youth Group and Bible Study) and I have fond memories of huge family gatherings and going to midnight mass where we would sing Christmas Carols for an hour prior.

While Christmas decorations, putting up a tree and gifts were part of the festive season, I was extremely aware that these were not the focus, and that the birth of Jesus Christ, giving of the spirit and of oneself to Christ and to your community was.

In fact, several years ago Ben and I travelled to the Philippines and spent Christmas with mum’s side of the family. Filipinos hold vigils for a week or so before Christmas, for days on end and last well into the night with the final vigil on Christmas Eve (Ben and I went to bed, we are not Catholic or religious for that matter lol!). 

When I consider my anti-consumerist Christmas tendencies, I would say that my upbringing has a lot to do with it, not just my sustainability values. We outgrew gift giving when the siblings and I became adults so my family generally doesn’t give physical gifts as the onus is on family bonding, and the giving of the heart and of oneself, in full and unconditionally. Ben and I don’t give each other anything either. The last Christmas gift was a co-gift in 2012 when we decided to get a dirt bike for each other/ourselves.

Anyway, whether you are Christian, or not, whether you are religious or not, I’m sure you can appreciate the Christian Christmas teachings of unconditional love and compassion, of helping the poor and the less fortunate, and understand the hope that Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ and his teachings gives to billions of people around the world who are practising their faith.

I would sooooo love to see the day when the commercialisation of Christmas ends, but I know that won’t happen. It’s a trillion-dollar industry in just the US alone and we all know how business growth, sales growth, and growth generally is the main game of our industries, economy and even ourselves.

So instead, the best I can hope for is to remind everyone about the true meaning of Christmas and that this is a time ofgiving, not just gifting.

And with that said, I hope you have a VERYMerry Christmas, Happy Holidays or Whatever, and enjoy this time with the special people in your life.

Peace, love and all that jazz,

Jen AKA editor-in-chief xx

p.s. My fave Christmas film to watch is It’s a Wonderful Life. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen it I love it that much. If you haven’t seen it, get on it! Make sure to have your hanky on stand by too because you’ll need it ha!

Credits:

Photography: Ben McGuire

Preloved Dress: Curios Collection

Sunglasses: WILD The Lifestyle Co.

Location: Editor’s organic farm in Queensland, Australia

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