Where's The True Holiday Spirit?

The day after thanksgiving usually signals the beginning of the holiday shopping season and this year was no exception. People lined up for hours braving the elements to get the first shot at “doorbuster” deals all across the country. What this leads to many times is people behaving like savages over places in line or the right to get the latest hot item for a good price. Times like these make me wonder, where has the holiday spirit gone? People seem to be more concerned about the material things and forgetting the true meaning of the holidays.

The people at my job decided to hold a Secret Santa gift exchange this year and I enthusiastically decided to be a part of it. One week after signing up, I noticed that someone had come up with a wish list where people could write down some suggestions for people giving them presents. It seemed like a good idea in case you got someone you didn’t know well. I was surprised to see, however, that most of my co-workers had written down that they wished to receive gift cards. With the limit being thirty dollars, many of these people specifically wrote down that they wanted thirty dollar gift cards, with some even specifying what store. This whole thing was just ridiculous to me because I asked the people asking for gift cards what they planned on giving as a gift and most responded by saying “A gift card”. WTF? If you’re going to give a gift card and hope to receive a gift card OF THE SAME VALUE, then why even join? You’re just exchanging money and to me, a gift card just doesn’t have the same sentimental value as a gift someone actually put some thought into.

Because of this, I had thoughts about pulling out of the gift exchange. But I figured I would just do my part and hope that the person I got would appreciate a gift that I chose for her (luckily, she actually put some helpful suggestions). I hope that as we get deeper into the holiday season, people remember that these times about more than just shopping. They are about spending time with loved ones and celebrating what is good about life.