... why I started hating Christmas!

Years ago, I got to the point Christmas was nothing but a drag. The best part was I got the day off work. Sure, when my son was a young kid, it was kinda fun, but as an adult with the kid grown and out on his own, Christmas started to lose it's charm. It seemed Christmas simply turned into an OBLIGATION ... to buy gifts!

Over the years it seemed to become too commercialized. "Christmas" sales started earlier and earlier. Decorations went up around town before the left-over T-giving turkey was made into sammiches and we were told we "need" to buy this and that. Next thing is this stupid Black Friday and people getting trampled or stabbed and shot over CHRISTMAS gifts!

I woke up this morning and flipped on FOX News. They had the same crap every other channel has ... tables lined up with this years "must have" gift suggestions. FOX had a banner at the bottom of the screen that read something like: Gift suggestions for your hard to please teen! Give me a frigging break. I got your "gift for that hard to please teen right here!" The first on the list was the latest and greatest (and frigging expensive) X-box whatevernumberitis! Every gift was some new electronic gizmo that costs what some people make in 6-months!

Another thing ... when I was growing up, Christmas morning meant a neighborhood full of kids out throwing their new football, or riding their new bike, or busting their butts with their new roller-skates. For the past I don't know how many years, Christmas morning (in this neighborhood anyway) is like a frigging ghost town outside. I assume all the kids are inside playing with their new x-box.

WTF??? Christmas has lost it's charm. We don't even do a tree anymore. Bah Humbug!