Free credit at Christmas

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With Gen Z leading the charge 2024 is going to be another year where the cost of Christmas is loaded onto credit cards. But when did our love affair with credit begin?

Back in the 1950’s the Bank of America sent an unsolicited credit card to every one of its 60,000 customers. Known as the ‘Fresno Drop’ it was a spectacular success, and within two years a million cards were in use. As we all know, however, the downside of credit cards are the huge debts and interest payments that can accrue over time, earning a lot of money for the lender. The ‘Fresno Drop’ was not the generous act of a big-hearted bank that it might have seemed.

At Christmas we remember that God also loves to give credit. But the credit he offers is a free gift and the only interest involved is his interest in restoring our relationship with him. The ‘Jesus Drop’ of 2,000 years ago suddenly made this credit available to all.

The Fresno and Jesus credit drops do have one thing in common and it’s this: ease of acceptance. Fresno customers just had to open an envelope and sign the card, and all we need to do is say yes to Jesus.

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