Christmas is such an interesting time of year. Everyone is scurrying about looking for that special thing to give or that gift that they just want for themselves. I had to go shopping this weekend--or rather I assisted someone else in their shopping. I myself prefer to get online, choose the perfect gift, pay for shipping, have it shipped to the person it is intended for and call it a day. It is MUCH easier that way. But alas, with mere hours left to shop people bustled into the malls filling it with obnoxious parents and their whining children momentarily muted with ice cream and chips. I don't like shopping to begin with but it becomes almost intolerable at Christmas time. There are too many people willing to pulverize anyone who dares to get between them and the "perfect gift." Everyone's looking for that thing that will make someone else happy. That will make them squeal with delight. That they appreciate even for just that moment. They say the Christmas season is all about giving (and the whole Christ was born story). But when you get back to work, or school, the first question people ask is, "What'd you get for Christmas?" So are we really concentrating on what we get or what we have given? How often does some ask, "What'd you give for Christmas?" Then there's the added pressure of giving enough. If you don't give enough, you might as well not give at all. Some people expect you to spend a certain amount on each individual. They look at it as a level playing field. Everyone speculates on how much things COST. Instead of giving cards, we should just write up a list of the things that it cost to get the gift that you gave. If you gave someone a PS3, for example, you write a long list of the things it cost you. You stood in line for days. You carried the box to your house. You bought wrapping paper for it. You took time off work to have enough time to wrap everything. That PS3 could have been a new puppy, or a short cruise, or paint to repaint the living room, or tickets to the theatre, or a flight to Vegas, or many other things. Some people assess your value of them by what you give them and how much it costs. Is Christmas really about giving at all?