Got a chuckle when I saw this:

lol; I actually like Have a Happy Hallowthankahanahchristmakwansadad New Year myself Mahvin. lol

I know exactly what you mean. This is what I was telling a co-worker last week. Came in WalMart and look down the very long aisle that goes from one end to the other in front of the cashiers. And I gazed down into were the lawn and garden section is. Low and behold .. xmas trees!

They just couldn't wait, not one bit! I'm so anti-xmas it's not even funny! I'm not the grinch .. I'm just anti-xmas. It's all become just this huge money grab! And my wife, she wishes to be out in the herd the day after Thanksgiving! WHY? To get run down, stampeded, pushed, bumped, stepped on. And she won't let me do the xmas shopping cause it'll be over in less then an hour. Gift card, gift card, gift card; everybody can get what they want when the BIG sales happen after xmas! Do it my and you look like a hero! The only bunch that gets wrapables is my toddler and infant nephews on my sister. Her kids, kids are past the age of killing wrapping paper!

And of course .. nobody ever, ever, ever, ever, ever gets me anything I need. I'd like a 2 or 3TB external HDD but I'll never see it. Or even somebody getting me a bigger thumb drive this 8GB is getting rather full. Alas not, my wife will not listen to me when I say 'DO NOT GET ME ANYTHING' and comes back with something that I a) don't need b) dont't want c) not my style or size and I'm the type of guy that I don't mean to hurt your feelings but I'm going to tell you how I feel!

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz .. coming out of light speed! Sorry .. this time of the year is not for me! If we could just fast forward to like the mid of the first week of January I'd be ever so grateful!

I agree that Christmas has been over-commercialized and folk forgetting what this day really means (I know, it once was based on a pagan ritual holiday, but still). Anyway, I do the gift card thing too; just easier that way. Still feels like giving money away with little thought, but, as you figured out too, everyone's happy. lol

I actually don't wan't anything period. I've pretty much lost desire for a lot of things anyway. The only thing I really want is a well paying challenging job but alas, the near rare contract job does come by now and then (made $25 this week alone; lol).

I feel your pain Mahv...I work retail and it is getting worse! This year our store will be opening at midnight on Black Friday.

It's a shame that we only value gifts which come packaged with a neat bow and receipt attached just in case we don't like it.

The true gift has been forgotten.

Here in Holland there's Thanksgiving on the 4th Wednesday in November celebrated by a small orthodox protestant group.
No big meals.And in March they pray for the new crops.The rest of us don't celebrate anything.
Christmas was a holiday for family gathering etc.No presents were exchanged.
For presents we have Sint Nikolaas on December 5th.Special cookies and sweets.The presents need to be accompanied by small funny poems,often with jokes about the recipient.
This has now changed a lot.Commerce tries to force American style Christmas on us.
And they start this even before Sint Nikolaas!
So same complaints here.
Gerard.

lol great one mahvin

You guys are right,it is ridiculous.For me,I love Christmas,i even used to build a Manger inside the house,complete with the village and roman camp.
The kids loved it but it was also for All a reminder of what it really is about.

I try to ignore Christmas (especially the public display part) as much as I can. My family does it right, of course.

to me, Christmas is best shown in that wonderful film, "A Christmas Story".
It's seen through the eyes of children in a funny touching way. Plus, on Christmas morning, when the house is quiet and the snow is new...it all looks so magical. I recall a Christmas like that in my childhood. The front door was opened and I looked out over a white, pristine landscape untouched by footprints. As if no humans had been there. What an amazing memory!

Every time I see that scene in the film it all comes back to me.