The Christmas Rush

I hit the mall spending dollars to show people what they mean to me
Got trampled trying to find an Elmo -
The pepper spray, guess that was free
They've got to know the gifts mean love
Got my mum MJ's glove
And as for Bob, a crystal birdhouse
Doesn't really even matter what Christmas is about, baby

I bought the fam lots of crap for Christmas
Forgot who I bought it for, yeah
It won't be Christmas without presents
Spending till my card gets sore, yeah
And who knew
That this holiday could make me so poor, yeah
And who knew
That I'd almost break my pelvis in a revolving door, yeah

I bought my bro some Nsync earmuffs
The thought of Brittany trying to steal from me...
My sister's getting a brand-new loofah
The jokes on her 'cause it was free
This time of year the stores get nuts
Who knew the mink mitts could cost so much?
I think the mall cop's grabbed my butt
I'm getting kind of sick of this Christmas rush, baby

I bought the fam lots of crap for Christmas
Forgot who I bought it for, yeah
It won't be Christmas without presents
Spending till my card gets sore, yeah
And who knew
That this holiday could make me so poor, yeah
And who knew
That I'd knock a granny over face-first on the floor, yeah

Feeling sweaty, feeling nervous
Shopping's not supposed to make you bleed
I've got a feeling there's more to Christmas
Than buying stuff that no one needs
Look around, you will find somebody who matters more than you can believe
This is love, so spread it around you
Love's a gift all oughta receive, yeah

I don't need all this crap for Christmas, don't matter who I buy it for, yeah
It's still a Christmas without presents
To me it means so much more, yeah
And (woo ooo)
You can't buy love from any store, yeah
And (woo ooo)
With peace and love you'll never be poor, yeah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiJThIUTvEw

Dear Belly,

Hope you get better soon. Nothing's worse when
you health suffers. So you take it easy -
and take care of yourself. This place wouldn't be the
same without you. Have a great Christmas - and a
New Year filled with plenty of reasons to smile.

Dear WmTrevor,

Thanks for the song - great stuff!

Belly in answer to your question, I am sometimes called upon to help people who cannot control their spending urges. They're often in the manic phase of bipolar disorder and diagnostically mentally ill, but people who have been brain-washed into believing they have to spend, spend, spend at Christmas (or at Easter and on birthday presents) are not ill. They've simply been taken in by high pressure company advertising, perfected in board rooms over many decades to become something akin to a form of social cancer.

About three years ago, I tried to get my youngest son (then around 30 years of age and married with two children) to substantially cut back on presents. I tried to educate him about big corporate advertising etc, but he wasn't wearing it. He got quite angry and attacked me for trying to ruin Christmas for him and his family. My attempts to bring Christmas back to the more traditional position ended up with the two of us nearly going our separate ways and eventually I gave in. It was either bow to commercial pressure or loose my son. It still upsets me to think about it three or so years down the track.

Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of a birthday. Christ's birthday! Unfortunately, Christmas has lost much of it's meaning and today we find the 25th of December more about propping up the commercial bottom line with horrible and cheaply made plastic rubbish and gorging ourselves sick on food and grog.

Dear Aime,

Driving past a building in my area I read the sign:

"Christmas - Celebrate the Reason
Not the Season!"

Enjoyed every post, Lexi, Friend, every single person I know, so far who comes here this year has no interest in the reason for the season.
Aime I by nature help when I can, look for the chance to, and yes buy Christmas presents, more than I get.
By my demand, as eldest it was natural to see to the young first.
But I will not over spend or consume what I do not need.
I have the ability then to replace PC or what ever.
It hurts, to see those addicts.
The ones who just can not stay out of debt.
40 years ago, I was ripped off, In a bank, three fortnightly payments each $600
$1.800, never got it back, unknown to me a bank Teller was stealing from older folks accounts, she watched me throw my copy, bankcard in the swipe days, in the banks bin.
I thank her.
Cut every card up promised me, I would pay cash or not buy it.
Hard few months catching up.
But Christmas over spending is every day for too many.

I have never had a credit card, & never will. I do have a debit card to use when buying things. Like Belly, I only buy what I can pay for from cash. I don't borrow money, except for a couple of bridging loans, when selling up somewhere & buying elsewhere.

We use the secret Santa system. Each person draws one of the family to provide the present for, & one only. Thus each one gets one present, usually a worthwhile one, & no one has to buy, or receive heaps of junk.

I'm sure we spend more than necessary on food & goodies, but hell, it's only once a year, & fruit mince pies are nice.