Friday 11-23

Today is the day that proves how out of control Christmas has become. People who struggle to get out of bed to make it to work at 8:00 were lined up outside of some stores at 4:00 this morning--talking about how they "love" Black Friday and getting their Christmas shopping done "early". Some dumped the family altogether on Thanksgiving day to take advantage of "Super Early Bird" savings.

I made the mistake of gift shopping on this Friday just once in my life. Never have I seen so many rude people doing their best to make everyone else around them miserable. The big doorbuster deal is already sold out? Berating the store clerk should make more of those items appear out of thin air. Complaining to everyone else walking down the aisle will probably lower their price as well.

It baffles me why people get so stressed out about the Holidays. If I don't get little Jimmy that mp3 player he wants this year he will be so disappointed and will likely grow up to hate me the rest of his life. Somewhere along the line, we've replaced spending time with our kids as a sign of a parent's love with buying them all the stuff they want as the ultimate act of love. Which do you think a child will remember more through their life: the years you volunteered to help coach their sports team--or all of the twenty presents they got for Christmas when they were eight. (Alright, I got a basketball hoop).

You can't really blame the stores. They need this day to guarantee a successful holiday season--which has become the be all and end all of retail nowadays. And if people really wanted to tone down the holiday overkill they would reject all of this Black Friday madness and vote with their wallets. Based on the continuous flow of vehicles and people pulling into the evil empire next door to our studios--that isn't happening this year.

So for the umpteenth year I'll encourage everyone to cut back on the crass commercialism this holiday season and remember what's really important in our lives.