Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but that has changed over time.

Christmas used to be a time of delight, spending time with loved ones. Now, Christmas has become the season of shuffling into the crowded stores, getting a great deal on a brand new coffee maker and making sure every corner of their house is covered with a Christmas light. Although, presents might be a family tradition for some, outlets, boutiques, and supermarkets have taken the yule log holiday into their own hands. These stores have created monsters out of moms and grandmas, intriguing them towards sales on the perfect dress for her daughter to the $1500 Big Green Egg, ideal for her husband. While some families have made giving gifts an important aspect of Christmas, others have gone a step too far.

I can’t even  fall asleep at night because the bright green and red lights coming from Main Street and my neighbor’s inflatable Santa sitting on his lawn doesn’t stop “Ho-Ho-Hoing!” I’ve even stayed up late to watch a TV show where men and women are fighting for a trophy by throwing green and red all over their houses and lawns. Even though the show does provide good laughs, it shows that many have just taken the holiday spirit too far.

I believe Christmas has lost its true spirit over time and has now become the season of buying and giving instead of the season of joy, and that scares me.