Who would you cross off your Christmas list?

A group called the “Advent Conspiracy” (www.adventconspiracy.org) is on a mission to make the real reason for Christmas cool.  Founded in 2006 by five pastors, the organization claims that the $450 billion Americans spend on presents each season is overkill and ultimately causes more debt than tears of joy.

In response, Advent Conspiracy challenges everyone to give just one gift less this Christmas.

This debate always looms over December in some form, whether it’s cashiers instructed to say “Happy Holidays” or churches distributing “Put the ‘Christ’ back in ‘Christmas’” bumper stickers. Each year, shoppers bemoan Christmas’ super-consumerism while still stampeding Wal-Mart for $300 laptops.

What’s different about the Advent Conspiracy?

Thanks to a rough economy, it seems, people are listening. More than 1,000 churches have partnered with the Advent Conspiracy, and both mainstream and Christian bloggers have latched onto the spend-less-give-more motto.

In the Dallas Morning News, blogger Sharon Grigsby embraced the mission for its focus on holiday traditions instead of maxed out credit cards. (http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/12/a-conspiracy-ill-buy-into.html). The Mosaic Baptist Church in Ontario, Ca posted a video on the trend. (http://blog.mosaicbaptist.org/2009/12/advent-conspiracy/)  And even The Daily Buzz picked up on the story. (http://www.dailyworldbuzz.com/advent-conspiracy-movement-advent-conspiracy-video/7043/)

I think the choice to give more with less is a welcome reprieve from the pressure to buy.  Still, I’m not convinced that attitude will stick once the bear market turns into a bull.

Americans like to shop. As they say, ‘tis the season.