Christmas Means Giving of Oneself
I have mentioned, just about every year, that I have grown to hate Christmas. I don't hate its message, nor the warmth of waking up and knowing it's Christmas morning. What I hate is what it's become. This year, there's yet another reason for it.
Since Vigo began last year (or was it the year before?) going absolutely bonkers on its Christmas lights to attract tourists, other cities have emulated it. One city is Madrid. This year, with a right-wing government newly elected, one of its most important expenditures is Christmas lights, so it could out-rival Vigo. They've spent over three million euros. Reactions from people in the streets, and local politicians are the usual. "The lights symbolize the spirit of Christmas." "Let's hope we get more tourists, now." "They're so pretty!" "People will be happy and spend more money."
Explain what the expenditure and those lights mean to the dozens of families applying for refugee status that have to sleep in the street. Most of those families have small children. The previous local government used different systems of shelter, from churches to hostels, to school gyms, to at least give these people nightly shelter. The problem is that, until their application is approved, these people have no right to anything, despite what ultra-right Vox claims. They cannot work, they can't be allowed to rent, nothing. They could pay for a hotel, but these people have no money to do that. Now that the color of the government has changed, only NGO's and local parishes try to help them survive the cold.
Apart from these families, what about the usual vagabonds who have no place to stay? These have shelters available, but some refuse to stay in them, alleging they will be robbed. But they still need some place to lay their head and eat a hot meal. Again, volunteers and non-profit organizations have to do what the mayor's office should have done to begin with.
Instead, the mayor and his council have decided to awaken the Christmas spirit with led lights all over the city, so people can come visit, go ooooh and aaaah, and feel the Christmas spirit. Then, those people can go and throw money at baubles that will end up at the back of the closet until their owners decide to clean them out. The Christmas Spirit of Spending is the best Christmas Spirit of all.
In the meantime, the Christmas Spirit of Neighborly Love will distribute hot food and drinks to people who have nothing, and try to find a spot among pews for a weary family to sleep. But this Christmas Spirit is not as important, because it means sacrifice, and love of neighbor. And gaudy lights are not involved. But then, neither were they lighting up a manger two thousand years ago.
Since Vigo began last year (or was it the year before?) going absolutely bonkers on its Christmas lights to attract tourists, other cities have emulated it. One city is Madrid. This year, with a right-wing government newly elected, one of its most important expenditures is Christmas lights, so it could out-rival Vigo. They've spent over three million euros. Reactions from people in the streets, and local politicians are the usual. "The lights symbolize the spirit of Christmas." "Let's hope we get more tourists, now." "They're so pretty!" "People will be happy and spend more money."
Explain what the expenditure and those lights mean to the dozens of families applying for refugee status that have to sleep in the street. Most of those families have small children. The previous local government used different systems of shelter, from churches to hostels, to school gyms, to at least give these people nightly shelter. The problem is that, until their application is approved, these people have no right to anything, despite what ultra-right Vox claims. They cannot work, they can't be allowed to rent, nothing. They could pay for a hotel, but these people have no money to do that. Now that the color of the government has changed, only NGO's and local parishes try to help them survive the cold.
Apart from these families, what about the usual vagabonds who have no place to stay? These have shelters available, but some refuse to stay in them, alleging they will be robbed. But they still need some place to lay their head and eat a hot meal. Again, volunteers and non-profit organizations have to do what the mayor's office should have done to begin with.
Instead, the mayor and his council have decided to awaken the Christmas spirit with led lights all over the city, so people can come visit, go ooooh and aaaah, and feel the Christmas spirit. Then, those people can go and throw money at baubles that will end up at the back of the closet until their owners decide to clean them out. The Christmas Spirit of Spending is the best Christmas Spirit of all.
In the meantime, the Christmas Spirit of Neighborly Love will distribute hot food and drinks to people who have nothing, and try to find a spot among pews for a weary family to sleep. But this Christmas Spirit is not as important, because it means sacrifice, and love of neighbor. And gaudy lights are not involved. But then, neither were they lighting up a manger two thousand years ago.
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