I was talking with my mother this afternoon, like I usually do, and we started discussing all the shopping that has taken place this weekend. Neither of us understand why anyone would want to get up at 4am to go shopping. Is it really worth it? Sure, there are great sales, but there are also all those crowds and the lack of sleep. I just avoid it all. I think its ridiculous.
And to add to this ridiculousness, Mom was telling me about an ad she saw in the paper. Not only was it advertising the insanely early opening hours of the store, but it was also encouraging shoppers to get into the "Christmas Buying Spirit."
Yes, you read that correctly. The "Christmas Buying Spirit."
That just goes beyond ridiculousness. That's just sad. Whatever happened to plain old Christmas spirit? Good will towards our fellow man? Asking those questions make me sound old, but I remember when Christmas felt more Christmasy and less commercial. At least, it felt that way to me. Maybe I was just less aware of all the commercialism or maybe my family was really good at ignoring all that and they sheltered me. Whatever the reason, I'm now feeling more of the Christmas Buying Spirit all around me.
This will be the first Christmas that I don't go home to either my parent's or Bo's parents house, so that's going to make it even harder. My parents are coming down for a few days and that will help, but I'm going to try to make this season more Christmas than commercial for Bo and I. Still don't know exactly how I'm going to do that, but I know it will involve some decorating and a Christmas Tree!