Bah Humbug? Hardly.

I wrote this four years ago.

I still feel the same way.

Some things are more precious that the gifts we open on Christmas Day. Many things, actually.

Here's to enjoying the things in life that are free. And priceless.

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I’ve been catching some grief from people around here lately.

It’s all about my attitude toward Christmas.

It’s funny, because I love Christmas and all I’ve said (repeatedly) is that I’m disgusted with the commercialization of the holiday and this year I will not buy, nor will I accept any gifts.

You may have picked up on a hint of this attitude in my last blog about gratitude.

I’ve given lip service to this before, but to be honest – I always cave.  Every year I run around like a chicken with my head cut off at the last possible minute, buying and wrapping junk no one really wants and that they definitely don’t need.  I know everyone else is doing this, too.  Well, maybe not the last-minute thing but definitely the buying gifts thing.

The thing is – I really love buying presents.  I love thinking about the person and what they would like and I really love watching the person open the gift.  That’s the best.  So it’s not that I’m anti-presents.  I’m just tired of Christmas being turned into this stressful, jam-packed, gluttonous, debt inducing craziness that it doesn’t need to be.

A number of people have asked me what I want for Christmas.  My answer is simple.  Time.  I want time to spend with the people I love and truly enjoy.  I want time to be peaceful and think about what this season really means to me. I want time to do things that really matter.

There are several quotes about time attributed to Benjamin Franklin but the one I’ve been thinking about lately is basically summed up this way… you can never get time back once it’s passed.  Once it’s wasted running around the mall or waiting in line or working extra hours so you can pay off the credit card bills you can never get it back.

This year I choose to spend it differently.

Merry Christmas.  I hope this year is everything you want it to be.