Categories: Ramblings

It has begun. It’s barely the first week in December and already advertisers are starting their ad blitz. In fact, it started from around mid-December, the time I heard the first Christmas carol on the radio. Who pays for those anyway? My guess is major corporations, trying to get people into the Christmas spirit so they can lure them into stores and rape their poor little wallets sooner.

You can’t watch TV nowadays without seeing ads for the “hot new toys” or holiday sales. People, there’s no such thing as a sale during Christmas time! Why would stores lower prices at the most profitable time of the year? The closest thing to a sale at this time of year is a slight reduction in the prices of existing to clear room for Christmas stock. Every company wants to get in on the action, even those selling the unlikeliest of presents. Have you seen those car commercials with cars wrapped with bows? What’s that about?

“Hey honey. You’ll never guess what’s under the wrapping of that giant car-shaped mass.” *unwraps gift* It’s a car! Oh thank you honey! I’ve always wanted one!” “Yeah. And don’t think for a second that I’m trying to bribe you into staying in this relationship. And don’t think that just because you’re the only bit of happiness in my miserable existence that prevents me from ending my life I have to impress you with this blatantly open display of my own insecurity.”

Who would buy someone a car for Christmas? Even rich people buy cars for their kids only on their 16th birthday. I’ve been watching enough “My Super Sweet Sixteen” to know. Big retailers are getting kids into the act, those lovable profit-boosting little buggers. Companies like Wal-Mart are encouraging kids to make wishlists, so they can nag their parents to death about what they want. Is it any wonder that the world has become so materialistic?

Parents, especially you middle-aged working class moms, listen. You brought your kids into this world. Women, you’ve carried them for 9 months, had to endure several hours of pain, not to mention the food, shelter, clothing, etc. Men, well, you’ve had to foot most of the bill and the lack of “lovin’” during those first few years. YOU OWE JUNIOR NOTHING! If you want to get him that cool new toy, fine. But you’re under no obligation to get it for him. No wonder many of these brats boss their parents around. Is that Tickle Me Elmo (or whatever toy is hot right now) really worth the trouble of fighting with other parents, risking getting trampled and your Christmas bonus? And at the end of it all, he’ll play with it a couple times, then throw it in his heap of forgotten toys and forget about it by mid-January.

Instead of throwing presents at them, teach your children the true meaning of the holidays. Family, togetherness, kindness, and most important of all, Jesus’ birth. That will stay with them a lot longer than that new toy will. I guarantee it. And this doesn’t just go for the kids, it goes for the adults too. Let’s all search of the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season.