Christmas is honestly my favorite time of year. I think its sickening how commercialized and materialized this season of giving has become though. Weeks before Thanksgiving the Salvation Army already has bell ringers glued to each entry and exit way of grocery stores, Kmarts and Walmarts. It's a big guilt trip going into the store for your already chopped down grocery list and having to feel like crap when you have no extra money to put in those stupid red buckets. Trust me, I'm for charity, I just think it is twisted how a lot of people I speak to feel the same way about the Salvation Army bell ringers. Its not that we aren't charitable people, its just that we are already struggling to make ends meet and alongside of paying Uncle Sam every extra dime we get, bell ringers make you feel guilty that you should also give up every last penny you have.

I, along with several friends, have resorted to the ‘don't leave your car unless you successfully managed to get someone else on the other line' course of action. This way, we appear distracted when we walk by the bell ringers and don't look heartless and at the same time we don't feel as guilty as we would if we would just walk past them and avoid eye contact. I always smile and nod, though. I give props to those who do charity work. I spent about a year and half doing charity work myself and I know how under appreciated those folks are.

Again, I'm not a grinch, I love Christmas. I love the lights, I love the music, I love the snow! I despise the mall or any roads within a 5 mile radius of malls during the holidays. Shouldn't Christmas (or whatever your beliefs may be) be a time of giving, sharing and reflection? Why are people so darn rude? I mean, its like a battlefield trying to find a parking place. People scowl at you if they think you are trying to cut them in a check out line. Some folks become very greedy as well. I was at the Chesterfield Mall this past weekend just checking out prices on a few gifts I plan to get later this month and it felt like everything I looked at or picked up, someone immediately looked at it as well and in one case, I went to go pick up an Asian glass flower arrangement and a lady reached in front of me and picked it up, held it until I was about to leave, and then didn't even end up purchasing it. People seem to want what others want.

Well, I want people to be nicer on the roads, nicer in malls and just nicer all around. Too bad that's not something materialized that someone can grab before I do.