This Christmas

The Holiday Season is in the air. Christmas Trees are up, lights are light, presents are wrapped!

(well maybe the presents aren't wrapped yet). We hope you've purchased them.

This Christmas shopping started very early this year. Many people I know started purchasing presents as early as August. We all know that globally we're still suffering from the financial collapses of 2008. Regardless of those situations however everyone wants to experience a little Christmas cheer. Especially the children.

So what are you getting the kids for Christmas this year? Well for those who have been planning what Christmas morning will be like you probably thought of everything from toys, to books, to puzzles, to games. You probably have also been thinking, "will the prices fall during Thanksgiving? Halloween? Christmas?"

From my shopping experience prices have remained pretty much the same through out the year on many things. I really don't think the PS3 dropped in price from August to December. If you were on the market for books, children's books, educational puzzles and games there may have been some slight fluctuation in prices.

So don't feel too bad if you had to watch the pennies this Christmas while trying to decide who you will or will not purchase for; or how many little Tommy was going to get this year.

We have to remember that although we do share in gifts and laughter, food and fun, Christmas isn't about any of these things.

I truly think that these "rough" financial times have allowed more people to focus on a concept we have not experienced for the past decade - focusing of the necessities. For the past decade most countries have experienced "too much" of everything. Too much fun, too much pleasure, too much food, too much money, too much.........

While some countries have had the "fortune" of having, the past decade has still been extremely trying for others. Those countries who still have no clean water, no medicines or vaccinations, no food, no shelter, no peace (only war), no freedom.

I was reading recently that only when we suffer are we able to relate to others in humanity. It is always amazing to see the dramatic change that some people go through after having experienced "want". After losing their job, car, family - some people are able to look at a vagrant on the street differently; and then out of the little that you have you are somehow able to understand the need of another in want and give to them what you have.

This Christmas out of the little that we all have how about we give a little and hold back on the superfluous wants and desires. This Christmas forget about the 62" screen TV, or the 4 wheel drive scooter. Get the kids presents that will somehow instill in them an understanding that lots of things are not what's most important about this time of year.

This time of year is a celebration of the birth of the Son of God. If we think of His birth and we think about how, where and why Jesus was born into the world we may have a different view of our Christmas this year and every year.