Christmas can mean many things from person to person. To some, Christmas is a time to celebrate being together and appreciating one another, to others this meaning has been lost in the rampant consumerism. Though this gives us a jaded view of Christmas, there is no need to pronounce Christmas a wasted holiday.

There’s no need to feel bad about being a consumer during the holiday season. As long as we remember what brought us to the gift buying, doesn’t that count for something? When you take into consideration the condition of our country, why not celebrate the holidays? There isn’t much to celebrate and we cannot afford to detract such an uplifting holiday. Try to remember what brought you to the store when you begin to doubt your holiday habits. If you have the money to buy your significant other something extravagant, then by all means do that. When your motivation is to inspire genuine joy in the person you give a gift to, then Christmas is achieving its goal.

Christmas, better yet winter, has always been a time to come together. It’s inherent in cultures that span centuries to celebrate the winter solstice and harvest festivals during the harshest times of the year. During the coldest season it’s natural we would come together for literal warmth and as society has progressed, it gives us security to know that we can slow down our schedules and come together. The distractions the holidays provide are the boost that carries us through harsh winters. The memories we make in Christmas stay with us longer than the gifts we receive and this is what we cannot forget.

The best thing we can do for Christmas is to stop scrutinizing it. It has almost become a trend to be a Christmas naysayer. Instead of approaching the holidays cynically, give the time a year a chance before you cast it down for gluttony and greed. It is cause for worry that half our society loves the holiday for what it is about and the other half resents it for what it has become. We need to find the common ground and keep a special time in most of our lives just as special as it has always been.