I was reading on The Dallas Morning News website a few days ago that according to a 2005 survey for the Center for the American Dream, nearly nine out of ten Americans [87%] believe that Christmas should be more about family instead of giving gifts. Four in five do not believe that it is necessary to spend a lot of money in order to have an enjoyable holiday, and 78% wish the holidays were less materialistic.
I find this fascinating, especially in light of the prediction by experts that Americans will spend over $450-billion this year on gifts. As Beth Teitll of The Boston Globe recently put it: "So who, exactly, is forcing us to rise at 5am on Black Friday, drive to the mall and trample old ladies slowing our path to the pile of discounted DVD players? . . . Is it the work of the other 13% in the survey? Are they so bossy that they're able to force the rest of us to slug it out over Game Boys and max out our credit cards just to avoid their wrath?"
Unfortunately, she is right on. I'm glad that most Americans "wish" the Christmas season was more about family and less about spending, but the reality is that it isn't. Maybe Americans one day will get fed up enough with the hype, spend less, and enjoy this time of year more. I doubt it but the that sugar plum does dance in my head.
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