How well we are doing economically, thus personally, seems to be directly dependant on how well we do each year at the retail stores. Increasingly, more and more jobs are dependant or indirectly dependant on retail sales. With the expectation of optimal performance each year along with what seems to be intense pressure from advertisers to shop and impress for Christmas, combined with the shopping madness. More and more people on the roads, usually during the worst weather to be driving, stores stuffed with people, the competition to get the best deal or the best present, our commitment to buy outside our income, thus putting future economic pressure on ourselves, all of this during a time where it seems as though we have less time and less patience.

It seems this dependency on making things good at Christmas has led many of us to be so glad when the holiday is over, thus missing the entire meaning of a Christian Christmas.

Even though Thanksgiving is the idea of giving thanks for our country, family and friends, it would be wonderful if we could unite the custom of Thanksgiving with the reason for Christmas. On Christmas, I don’t think we should be only giving thanks for the quality and/or quantity of presents we get or give, but for what we have and most importantly, be thankful to God.