As long as there are stores, (large and small,) ads, and money, there's going to be Christmas, and as long as there are conservatives, there will be whining about saying "Happy Holidays."

So many businesses, not even just stores, depend on people spending way too much at Christmas, that they'd be in trouble if the holiday season as it is ceased to exist. I actually ventured into a mall this year, just once, and it was insane. The last time I was there, went to see a movie, it was a veritable ghost town.

control their own lives when it comes to holidays. The commercial interests can only drive a person to shop ad nauseam and spend more then he/she can afford if the person allows it. There is nothing wrong with a family stepping back and putting holidays like Christmas into perspective and creating a more meaningful holiday experience instead of competing with the "Jones" to show who can spend more money.

Considering that the far right try to claim what a Christian nation we are it seems like, at Christmas, people are worshiping at the feet of the almighty corporations instead of being mindful of what the real purpose of Christmas is supposed to be about.

i love surprising people (in a good way) and the anticipation of seeing a wrapped gift and then opening it and discovering what it is--i love doing that for my daughter--i loved doing that for my parents and all my friends back in the day.

funny surprises, good surprises, great surprises, etc.

doesn't always have to be "stuff" -- i'd wrap up money & specify what activities it was for or what restaurants or fast food places. sometimes i'd buy special food stuff & wrap that up too. or donate to a charity & have a card or something about it in their name. this year i didn't do anything like that. it was all "stuff" and all bought online.

i was very blah this year

find it difficult to do. It is sort of like an addiction that you need to make a break from.

Every year we say we are going to "cut back". Then it's Christmas and we go overboard like we do every other year. Now it's for the grandkids!

Especially when their peers and relatives will ask them what they got for Christmas. You don't want to be a Scrooge now do you? I would like to call the whole gift thing off and just focus on the decorations and celebrations. Do simple, low cost foods and try to reign in all the spending. It is just too much.
We get gifts for our godchildren and what they want is expensive video game products that we can't afford. By buying something less expensive we fear we let them down but what are you going to do. The popular gifts today are just way too much.

which had been increasingly expensive and overboard.

Instead, they decided to go--as a family--and pass out Random Acts of Christmas.
They put money--mostly $5.'s--in envelopes and took them to a local Toys 'R Us (in Dallas).
They each also decided to step in at a cashier and pay for the basket(s) of someone checking
out.

My friend said they had a blast. Everyone had surprised and amused and grateful looks when
they opened an envelope and found cash.

While they were waiting outside for the last family member to come out, one man came up to them
and told them that he was raising his kids alone, and that they had no idea how much it had meant
to him to have his bill paid for the toys in his basket.

They had so much fun and enjoyed what they did that they will do it again next year.

it was sad, but it seems like it didnt make much impact on anyone but me.
but then, i havent been the one who did the big shopping since they grew out of toys.

we dropped the adult gifts in my family of origin long ago.

if there arent little kids around, it seems kinda silly.