The Holiday Season: Is it Sincerity or Competition?

Ready or not, here it comes: The Holiday Season is upon us.  But as we  enjoy and bask in the bright lights, beautiful store fronts, and general cheer,  one might ask "but is this competition, or goodwill towards men?"

Now that Halloween has passed, store fronts (online and in real life) are rapidly chaning from trick or treat candy and halloween costumes to delicious bons-bons with red bows and reccomended gift ideas. Busy mothers are trying to get a head of the end-fo-the-year rush, making lists and eyeing possible presents while doing their normal shopping, while toy and video game companies are advertising their latest stock to be purchased during the holiday season. And the closer we get to our forgotten holiday of relaxation and company of friends, (Thanksgiving, for those who've forgotten), it will only exponentially get bigger, wilder, and more elaborate.

I remember talking to, and reading about, how many mothers are almost completely done with their Christmas shopping before the third week of November -- before Thanksgiving. Some families  put the last touch on Christmas shopping by waking up early, participating in the Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) by spiking corperate sales and haggling consumer staff.

So yes, there is that side of the Holiday Season. 'Oh, come now,' you might say, 'just wait until it's closer to the holidays and you'll find all the kindness -- this is just the corporate view.'  Alright, I'll bite.  Let's move past Thanksgving into the month of December.

Already in the theatres there are trailers for the upcoming Christmas movies, and there is one big theme: competition.  Deck the Halls is a perfect example of this, as the movie revolves around two neighbors (not always comically) trying to one-up each other in the decorations of Christmas.   But in the long run, isn't that what sometimes happens? People compete to be more generous, to show more holiday spirit, or to quickly get ready for a party with friends?

I say, although there is still a sense of goodwill (according to charties, not as much, though), I would have to say that competition has far outweighed any "holiday spirit" we should have.  What happened to dinners with families, walking in a snow -covered park, or someone actually giving money to a Salvation Army bell ringer? Why aren't there movies being advertised about charity and love? Even the old Home Alone movies had some sort of charity and goodwill by Kevin during the film.

So, I call to all of you out there to bring brack sincerity into this holiday season.  Leave encouraging messages for your friends.  Don't be miserly when charties ask for money -- and if you don't have money to give, why not asking how you can volunteer your time? Take some time off from the busy American life, and spend it one on one with someone you care about.  Get out of your house and particiapte in community winter events,  whether that is watching people carve ice,  ice-skating outside, or going over to someone's house for chocolate and eggnog.  Watch or read Charle's Dicken's A Christmas Carol (If in movie form, I highly suggest the Muppet's version).

Revive the sincerityof the Holiday spirit, and reverse our culture's "Scrooge" tendancies.