Last week, my fellow Odyssey writer, Bobby Black, wrote a reflection about the Christmas season. I recommend taking a look at his article before reading mine because I intend for this article to work in conversation with his.

Not everything I am responding to will be in his article, as we have discussed the Christmas season several times over dinner in the last few days. Essentially, Bobby feels slightly cynical as his college career goes on, but, this year, I'm feeling more in the Christmas spirit than ever.

I can agree with Bobby in terms of the commercialization of Christmas. It's gotten out of control in the last fifteen years, starting earlier and earlier each Christmas season. While I've never been one for Black-Friday shopping, I've found myself thoroughly enjoying the gift-giving aspect the holidays this year. Part of this is the terribly cliched notion of giving being greater than receiving, but cliches do exist for a reason.

I have probably spent more money on gifts than I should have this year, but I love the challenge of gift giving. For the first time in my life, I actually have money to spend on gifts for my family and friends. I'm not confined to a budget of twenty bucks set by my parents or the remnants of my lawn-mowing money. In theory, I can spend a good amount of money on gifts for my family and friends.

Thanks to Amazon prime, I have been using holiday shopping as a study break in the last few months. For the first time in my life, I'm more excited to give people the presents I bought them than to open my own presents. I think the joy of giving is one of the more positive side-effects of the commercialization of the Christmas Season.

Even the family aspect of Christmas seems a little more exciting than it used to. While I am not nearly as far away from home as Bobby, the distance does get to me sometimes. Crown Point is just a two hour drive from Crawfordsville, but I still do not get to see family as much as I would like, especially during the Holiday seasons. I will admit, my family, both immediate and extended, is very close.

I make time every Sunday to call home to talk to my parents, my sister ,and dogs, but my extended family gets negelected sometimes. Facebook helps me maintain a general idea of what's going on with my aunts and uncles and cousins through out the year, but it is no substitute for actual conversation. I was really close with my cousins growing up, but since most of us are actually adults now, its getting harder to maintain that closeness. I'm just excited to see them as I am to be home for the holidays.

So to Bobby and anyone else not feeling the Christmas cheer this season, this is my advice. Focus on what makes the Holidays special. I know that reads like something out of a Hallmark Channel holiday movie, but it carries some weight. At the end of the day, Christmas is not about the presents under the tree or the songs on the radio or the hundreds of ugly sweater parties you are forced to attend. Christmas is about the people in your life, and the time you spend with them. Keep them in your heart as the season draws to a close, and have a Merry Christmas.