Ah yes, it’s Christmas time again.

“Oh no, here you go again! Mitch, it’s Christmas, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! What could possibly be wrong with buying presents? I know we are in debt and stuff, but it’s Christmas and. . .”

You’re an idiot. Nuff said.

Ok, yes you can go buy the latest and greatest iPhone for your kid for $199, but let me remind you that you are giving more than and iPhone, you’re giving the gift that goes on and on. Debt, stress, credit card payments, foolishness, selfishness. But it’s all ok because you have a live Christmas tree that smells really nice, Christmas cookies, Christmas lights. Ah, the memories that will be made. Memories that those credit card bills will not soon let you forget.

I will give it to you. It is not like Apple advertises gifts under $50. Target and Wal*Mart really don’t advertise gifts under $30 either. They are single handedly raising the expectation levels for Christmas, so you have to give in don’t you? However, I believe you still have a brain and a free will. This means you do not have to be an idiot and stand in line to get the latest and greatest on Black Friday (or trample other idiots to get it).

I know, I know. Generations before you way overspent on Christmas gifts. I know that when you grew up there were always tons of gifts under the tree. It was so pretty, so great, so exciting and you think that is the way Christmas is supposed to be.

You know what? So what? Is it worth it?

Christmas is not supposed to be about you going out and buying stuff you can’t afford. I am very sorry, but it just isn’t. I know that you may be a parent and you may feel guilty for not spending hundreds on your kids. You may feel guilty because you can’t buy expensive gifts for everyone. So what? Get over it and grow up! Tell them you don’t have the money for it, they’ll understand, and you will still have a great Christmas.

And what, you’re in debt? Well how did that happen? Do we need to call Haratio Caine to investigate?

I bet I know what happened, you bought a bunch of stuff you couldn’t afford and had no business buying. Maybe you should stop it, maybe you and the rest of America should stop buying crap you can’t afford. It’s you that have cheapened the holiday, it’s you that has turned it into a spending frenzy. So maybe Christmas just really isn’t that special anymore. We have just made it into an excuse to overspend, go further in debt (which we yell at our Congressmen/women for). It’s become another retail holiday and you get to swipe that plastic card.

“Okay Mitch, I get it, but everyone at my kid’s school gets great gifts and shows them off. They get iPhones and stuff.” Question for you, are you in debt? “yes, but. . .”

No buts, sorry lame excuse.

“Mitch, it is just not fair and it is just not reasonable to spend only $25 per person for Christmas.” Why is it not fair and reasonable. "”It’s just not! Come on Mitch!”

Stop acting like a baby, stop pitching a fit like a 2 year old in a candy store.

If you don’t have the money for something, it’s simple, you don’t buy it. Don’t go acting like you’re kid needs a DREX Interactive Dinosaur either. It has nothing to do with them and everything to do with you! In your head you have this perfect Christmas where your kid gets the perfect toy (when he/she may rather play with the box it came in). You have to have this perfect day because you will feel guilty if you don’t. You have some type of insecurity like your kid won’t love you anymore, you and Target helped set expectations, and well it’s just about you.

“But Mitch, didn’t the 3 kings, wise men, the little drummer boy bring fancy stuff to Jesus. They gave  Jesus gifts and that’s why. . .” Excuse me, these guys were royalty (the Drummer Boy is a nice story and song), they were wealthy and I don’t believe that they used a MasterCard to purchase a “priceless” memory.

"Mitch, Christmas is in the Bible and everything. . .”

Actually the holiday is not in the Bible, we picked the 25th to celebrate the birth of Christ.

I am all for presents. And of course I LOVE getting presents. I love buying people presents. I love finding something that I think will fit them perfectly, or getting them something I know they wanted, but couldn’t afford (of course it all deals with ME again, because it feels good). But is it worth it?

Christmas is not about the presents and you racking up huge amounts of debt, but that is what it has become.

I personally believe that if we are going to celebrate Christmas, then we need to celebrate what it’s about. It’s about Jesus coming to the world at just the right moment in history and giving us a gift we didn’t deserve.  Christmas is about that and it’s about love, family, togetherness. It’s enjoying being with your loved one, your family, your friends, enjoying the life and freedom that was given because of Jesus’ life.

Christmas is also about tradition. It’s about playing Christmas music, putting up a tree, hanging Christmas lights, it’s about stealing a kiss underneath the mistletoe. It’s about making Christmas goodies with loved ones and having one too many eggnogs at a Fog Nog party. It is about the nativity scenes. It’s about putting out cookies and milk for Santa. It’s about lighting Christmas candles and caroling. It’s about trying to get the little kids to sleep, but they are just to excited to close their eyes.

It’s about Jesus, it’s about spending time with loved ones, it’s finding peace and finding rest, it’s a time to be thankful for having what none of us deserve. But you know what? You don’t have to go in debt over it, that’s not what it’s about.

Stop buying crap you can’t afford and blaming it on Christmas! Nuff said!