Crass commercialism versus spirit of Christmas anyone?

Black Friday Concessions
by Michael Romani

Looking down from my self imposed mountain
I spied a parade announcing one thing certain
At the end of one very long advertisement 
Santa Claus's arrival came with the quiet advisement

Black Friday would follow the purging of our souls
One day of thankfulness and back to greed's control
Pushing and pulling to get just one more thing
This beckoned the joy this season would bring

The sights and sounds and smells of Christmas shopping
Was announced and there would not be any stopping
That is until the payment of every last bill arriving
And the last stocking stuffer was given to those surviving

Black Friday has become a sad marking of our economy
And the only spirit but alcohol that the bankers will see
Credit card percentages have taken the place of love
Where the almighty dollar has taken the place of the above

The biggest shopping day of the year in Christmas sales
Fought over toys, bundles of joy and torn dresses regale
Self indulgent sinners darken church doors once this year
Because of a sense of guilt and a dab of stressed out tears

The uncomfortable truth is this is not the Christmas of keeping
And if Jesus could speak, He'd probably be sad and weeping
The babe in the manger is replaced by Victoria's Secret window
And with no room in the parking lot where should we now go

Giddy up across the winter wonderland all the sleigh bells ring
One more caroler heard is one too many when joy doesn't sing
Eat, drink and be harried at the shopping mall's mass deployment
Check your list twice or more; it's about points and not enjoyment

Whatever happened to the days when the focus was on that mass
That is to say that isn't Christmas meant to be Christ's mass
And aren't we supposed to be spending this moment in worship
I don't see the passage that remarks on gifting one-upmanship

I miss the days when I would quietly listen through the year
Until I heard the one thing that each person held dear
Held dear but would not get for themselves
And quietly I would wait until I found that item on a shelf

Christmas shopping for me was done by end of October
And by the time almost no one would ever really remember
That which they would not spend on themselves but wanted badly
The smile given on receipt were my blessing never ending sadly

Then there was the enjoyment and worship of the Christmas season
Each moment spent wrapped in warm love and nearly always pleasing
So I say to each with this Black Friday's silent concession
That Christmas is about giving, not counting, value not possession
 
(c) November 23, 2018  Michael Romani
All Rights Reserved