It was the same for me when I was a kid and I'm a hair older than you. It was a season for people and food. Gifts were a bonus. I don't remember exactly when it became the biggest money grab of the year but seems to get worse every year. Big business make most of their profits for the year on Black Friday.

When did society become so commercialised? It is not only Christmas that brings out the greediness. We also have Valentines day, Father's Day, Mother's Day and a host of other holidays or special occasions that demand that we spend our hard earned cash for chachkies we don't need or really want. We are pushed into buying, using credit cards that are maxed to their outer limits.

So, we are stressed buying things that will take us into the next year paying off the credit cards. We are stressed because everything has to be Christmas card perfect. The ads tell us so. Everyone buys into this holiday cheer. Then comes the doom and gloom of January, after you spent all you money, maxed out the cards and have no idea how you will pay for it before next Christmas comes around.