The following article is reprinted from the December 2004 issue of Tri-State Voice.

The X Factor - Redefining a Generation for Xmas

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves. ... May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. - Charles Dickens (December, 1843)

Scrooge has gotten younger.

The new face of the famously stingy foil is no longer old or crotchety. According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, Generation Xers - roughly those of us 23-39 years old - are the new misers. We are less likely to support charities than our parents and grandparents, about 50% compared to more than 75%. That means only half of us give anything at all, with average annual giving less than a third of older generations, just $532 to $1,707.

Why so tightfisted?

In an October article, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette offered three theories. The first blame shifts. According to William Strauss, co-author of numerous books about generational giving trends, Xers "feel no strong need to nurture the needy" because we "were not particularly well nurtured by [our] parents."

The second, advanced by Richard Steinberg of Indiana University, suggests that Xers are "not socially conditioned to give as much" as older generations because we have "never had to make major sacrifices" that they made. A third, more high-minded possibility is that we're following the Bill Gates model of giving little at the start of our careers so that we might give larger sums when we're older.

Whatever the reasons, recent signs suggest that a sleeping giant may be stirring. For instance, the groundbreaking Howard Dean presidential campaign successfully raised millions of dollars from impassioned Xers online, and a small cadre of wildly rich, young entrepreneurs are increasingly giving major gifts to colleges and other institutions.

But despite these developments, our traditional giving patterns lend credence to commentators who have long described Generation X as a rudderless generation. The designation "X" implies for many a confusing present and murky future. Our reluctance to give may simply be because we have not found causes or issues or people that we care enough to invest in.

All that can change this Xmas.

There's another interpretation of X that is infinitely more hopeful. In mathematics, X becomes whatever it needs to be in order to make an equation work. It rises to the occasion. Whatever other factors might exist, X satisfies the need and helps to establish equities.

Our holiday traditions celebrate the intersection of hope and humanity. Christmas commemorates God's willingness to transcend space and time to touch mankind. Hanukkah remembers how one day's supply of oil miraculously kept the temple lantern burning for eight days. Kwanza esteems seven eternal values that supercede class and social restrictions.

For many, the story of Christ's birth best illustrates this idea. In it, God forsakes His reality to inject Himself into ours. Rather than bask in heavenly glory, He degrades His divinity by assuming the likeness of created humanity. He leaves behind His celestial throne to be born in a barn by an unmarried teenager only to grow up, first, as a political refugee, and then in an obscure community with a reputation for producing mediocrity. Finally, he works a blue color job until the age of thirty, roams the desert serving strangers, and dies the unjust death of a violent criminal three years later in order to redeem mankind.

Through it all, Christ knew He could achieve what he set out to achieve, but not before first giving His very life for others. This supreme gift He gave freely at the age of 33, squarely within the Generation X age bracket.

The Scrooge of Charles Dickens' timeless classic doesn't remain greedy forever. Haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, he comes to realize that a life worth living is one, like Christ's, that is freely given away.

If you haven't already spent your holiday bonus this year, why not use it to establish equity, offer hope, and rise to the occasion for someone less fortunate than yourself? Why not throw off our reputation and make this Xmas one that helps redefine our generation?

Even better, let's resolve in the New Year to become an X factor of a different sort, one that emerges before the holidays.

- Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. co-founded Generation Xcel (www.GenerationXcel.com) with 13 Gen Xers who rejected the stereotypes about their generation. Almost nine years later, their collective gift keeps on giving. The Xcel family wishes you hope and peace this Xmas. Read his bio here.

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Additional articles by Jeremy available online:

Why I Support the Billy Graham Crusade (and Pray You Do Too) (March 2005)
Things We Don't Talk About (February 2005)
An Embarrassment of Riches: Economic Injustice and the Church (November 2004)
Wake Up from Slumber: Civic Hypocrisy and Voter Dysfunction (October 2004)
A Letter to My Son on Father's Day (June 2004)
Fight of the Fatherless (May 2004)
Let's Talk about Sex (April 2004)
Beyond Passion: Living a Crucified Life (March 2004)
Losing Races: A Dream Deferred (February 2004)
A Crisis of Zeroes: Engaging NYC Public Schools (September 2003)
WWJD (What Would Jay-Z Do): Engaging Youth Culture (August 2003)
The Joshua Paradox: Establishing a Meaningful Mentorship Model (July 2003)
Young People are NOT the Future: Embracing the YW8? (Why Wait?)™ Generation (June 2003)
Thanks to Heroes (September 2002)
A View from Ground Zero (September 2001)
By Any Means Necessary: Free Hot Dogs and Youth Evangelism (July 2001)
Ground Zero Photos (Photography)

Visit HERE for more Xcel Original Writings.