Gallup recently reported that Americans' expect to spend $616 this Christmas; the lowest in Gallup's 10-year history of tracking this question. Ironically, even after the meltdown in late 2008, Americans expected to spend $866 last year which suggests that 2009 has been a reality check for most of us.

Shoppers are not the only ones who are anxious this holiday season; in my local paper last week the headline read "Charities can't rely on year-end generosity." According to a recent survey, only 38 percent of Americans say they are more likely to give a charitable gift as a holiday present this year, compared to 49 percent last year.

Cosby Woodruff asks "if people are not confident enough to spend on a few extra toys at Christmas, what will they spend on in the next few months?" He points out that consumer-spending is usually a positive sign of recovery. Frankly, I don’t know whether confidence as seen in increased spending is the type of confidence I want to bet on anymore. The fact that our culture is so consumer-oriented leaves me hoping we can find new indications of recovery.

As ministry leaders, I think we should encourage our people to stop doing Christmas as usual. Instead of thinking about Christmas in terms of the dollars we will spend, maybe we should think about the dollars we can save- better yet, how about the dollars we can give away. Rather than anxiously trying to stretch every dollar in order to ensure that no one is disappointed with what they find under the tree, we need to challenge them to find ways that remind us of the true reasons for celebrating Christmas.

Fewer Gifts

I am especially intrigued by the Advent Conspiracy movement- aimed at restoring Christmas as time for compassion rather than consumption. This group encourages Christians to Worship Fully, Give More, Spend Less, and Love All. Chris Seay, one of the authors, says "the busyness and materialism are not merely a distraction from the things that matter, they have become the driving force in a fever pitched frenzy that is anything but worshipful." The movement began with the simple idea of foregoing one gift in order to help those in need. This year they are pointing out that Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas every year, and asking why people do not, instead, put that money to work for somebody who really needs it.

Alternative Gifts

This afternoon I volunteered at an alternative gift fair at a local church. While the idea was new to me, it appears as if this sort of event is catching on in a lot of communities. I was representing one of eighteen charitable groups that "shoppers" could donate to in lieu of a gift. Shoppers selected organizations that they believed would best honor their loved ones. Similarly, and as easy as a telephone call, most non-profit organizations will accept a gift in honor of someone and gladly send that special person a card on your behalf.

Used Gifts

A couple weeks ago some friends came to my seven-year old’s birthday party. They brought along with them what appeared to be a brand-new toy which has since become the delight of all my kids. I was pleasantly surprised when my friend said his wife purchased this thing at the Salvation Army thrift store a week earlier. "No kidding," I said, "that is awesome!" Erika and I also have some friends who have managed to do all their Christmas shopping on Craigslist which apparently works for this guy too.

I enjoy a wrapped gift or two under the tree just as much as anybody else does. And I am not one of these folks who wants disappoint the kiddos by locking Santa out in the cold. I believe a lot of what we do during the Christmas season is just as it should be. What I do want to do, though, is ensure that my family and those around me understand that Christmas is not about the gifts we receive under the tree. Christmas is about the Gift that came to us in a manger and the gift that was later given to us on the cross.

Jason Lewis also writes at The Generous Life and he can be reached @ e-mail. Jason is a member of The Frank Group, has served Christian ministries in a variety of leadership roles, trained hundreds of non-profit leaders, and enjoyed friendships with a continuously growing number of generous individuals.