Essence of Christmas

Before we left for break, Mr. O'Connor asked us to count the number of times objects were mentioned during the winter break. I followed this advice, not counting, but rather noticing things about the gifts we opened. This Christmas I did not ask for anything extravagant. My favorite gift was a pair of pants I had been wanting. But the best gift our family received was from my mom. She scoured the Internet trying to find a very specific type of antique beer glasses. We used to have two that were my grandmothers. Over the years, one had broken, and we were unable to find another like it. My mom's gift was four identical glasses she had ordered from an obscure resale website. This gift was not the latest and greatest. It was not hundreds of dollars. But it was still the best gift under the tree.

The one problem I have with Christmas consumerism, especially in the north shore, is the giving of money. This year I received a nice check from my parents. So did my sister, boyfriend, and several of my friends. Now I can understand receiving money from a distant relative who doesn't really know you that well, because they don't know what you like. But what really bugs me is getting money from your parents. On paper it seems like a great idea. Parents have plenty of it, and kids can never get enough. But what is it teaching kids? I know I may seem hypocritical seeing as I did not turn down the money I was given, but it seems too easy. Money is a cop-out gift. It takes away the giving spirit of Christmas. I would much rather have received a well thought out gift, instead of a check my mom wrote Christmas morning. But in the grand scheme of things, I do not agree with Mr. O'Connor's point of view. Christmas is not just a time of objects and money, but a time of family and loving.