Merry Xmas ?

As every year, Xmas is coming up. For sure, it´s a religious celebration, but I guess, the majority of this community will celebrate, maybe `cause of the children, or maybe `cause of beeing used to do so, or whatever.

I´ll tell you a little story to think over :

A few years ago, when I found myself in trouble getting all the proper gifts for a bunch of family members, relatives, friends and other people "to be gifted", running desperately through a big shopping mall and seeing my money melt away on mostly useless stuff, I had a big ascension. Maybe there´s a god, maybe my overstressed brains and senses told me so, however, I decided to be a slave to usual Xmas business nevermore, nor to common traditions and to celebrate Xmas as it was ment to be celebrated before (yeah, fuck, by the Christians, I know, but nevertheless), as a time of relaxation, friendship, love and stocktaking.
So I told everyone, that, beginning at next Xmas, I won´t give them any gifts nor would I accept any. No one believed, and so, when the next years Xmas eve occured, they all were rather worried about not beeing gifted by me. But after a time they (especially my closer family) spent by unwrapping countless, but nevertheless unwanted and useless (in our surplus society we usually can afford to buy things we need by ourselfs, and things we can´t afford to buy we are usually not gifted for Xmas, as for example, a new car...) parcels and gifts, they noticed me sitting aside, havung a glass of wine and smiling at them. After a short period of reflection, they all agreed, that my way would be the better one, and from this day on we all do so. Not to gift each other not only saves much time and money (for buying gifts) but also makes the time before Xmas a calm, happy (when you can simply cool watch all the others hasting around) and stressless time, and maybe you find again a long lost connection to the people you really care, while not occupied by gifting and beeing gifted. Of course, we don´t do any lightshows on the house, as we don´t show any Santa´s or other stupid and environment degrading things.
I´ve to confess, we´re all adults, nor do I have any children, I guess, there´s to be an exception to be made for them, `cause they usually wouldn´t understand...

So, how about my story ? Wouldn´t this be a way for you too, to get free from the terror of consumption and gifting, worthy an Atheist, who´s been struggling to get free of the emraces of religion and religious culture. You maybe should give it a thought, and it´s a further step to become a free beeing, free from commercial and societycal restraints too...

I love you, people

nicolai