Yes, Christmas has become much too materialistic.  What once was a peaceful time is now the most frantic and stressful time of the year.  It has morphed from what was once a sacred holiday into a commercial heyday. 
    Harried shoppers frantically rush hither and thither, ever buying buying buying.  It is pure madness to try to go to Wal-Mart in the last few days leading up to the 25th; you could be trampled. 
    Speaking of which, the fact that a man was killed in that very same store, because people were frenzied about getting a jumpstart on their Christmas shopping, shows that we are losing the very traits that make us human in our hysterical rush for material goods.
    Parents are considered failures if they can’t provide their children with enough toys.  Since when does that show how good of a parent you are?  Friends are lost because one didn’t receive a gift.  Since when did that show true loyalty?  The question is this:  when did we lose sight of what really matters in this holiday season?
    To give is good, it promotes goodwill and helps us feel more connected to those we love, but there must be moderation in all things.  It shouldn’t be about how many gifts we receive or how expensive those gifts are.  It needs to be the thought that counts.  Remember, they are gifts, not things that are owed to you.  Nor is it a competition between you and others about the price of your compiled loot.  Remember the true spirit of Christmas- it’s about the friendship, not the material goods.