While many feel that Christmas is a special and joyful time of year, others feel the spirit of Christmas has become too commercial and focused on the material aspects of life.

But Dr. George King, a Master of Karma Yoga, had a different take. He said:

“You know, we can always find fault with everything. If you didn’t feel in your hearts that you wanted to give some token of respect for the birth of Jesus to a friend, then it would be no more commercial than any other time. Oh yes, the enterprise has cashed in on this, certainly, but it’s not such a bad thing is it really, when you come to look at it? 

After all, giving presents – there’s no crime in this, you know. And because the commercial world has cashed in on it – well, if they were to close their establishments down you wouldn’t be able to get the presents, would you? And that would grieve you greatly. It would grieve me ’cause that’s one thing I like about Christmas – is giving to other people. 

It’s not what I’m going to get out of it but what I can give to it – what I can contribute to it. And, after all, I adhere to the Christmas spirit because it is – although the wrong time of the year – it still is a celebration for the birth on Earth of a great Master who did very much for the Earth…”

While we may feel that Christmas is too commercialized, we can still get into the spirit of it all. We can still feel the magic of Christmas in giving to others.

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I love Christmas. If I had it my way, decorations would stay up all year round. But this year, I felt a delay in my Christmas enthusiasm. 

I had so much going on, it was as though I didn’t have time to get excited about Christmas. It came so quickly this year. 

I think this is how some other people feel too. Our lives are busy and it can be shocking or even overwhelming to realize we are coming to the end of another year. 

But if we put energy into making the most of this time of year, it is always a much better experience.

Something you can try

I want to encourage all people to put up their Christmas trees in October, but I realize that isn’t necessarily a spiritual practice! 

Instead, let’s do as Dr. King suggests – make this time of year a time of giving and generosity of all kinds, in celebration of the life of a great Master.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season.