It is that time of year again: twinkling lights, shimmering snow flakes, presents galore... and shopping... and crowds, family, cooking, stress, overwhelm, anxiety!

As a kid, Christmas is one of the most magical times of the year. You get to make a list of all the things you want most in the world. You get out of school. You get to see grandparents who spoil you with affection and materials. You get to eat all the delicious food your family only makes once a year. It is a time filled with wonder, excitement, and relaxation.

As an adult, Christmas takes on a whole new persona. It riddles one with stress and anxiety. The crowds of shoppers trying to get everything on their children's list; the distant relatives bursting from the wood works just to invade your kitchen and your privacy; the disorganization of the schedule of making sure you see everyone; the mess in the kitchen after the seemingly endless montage of baking.

Christmas has turned from an occasion to celebrate love and family into an industry. Conglomerates exploit the frantic motions and panicked nature of the members of society to try to shovel more cash into their bank accounts.

This mindset has skewed the true meaning of Christmas. Kids become brattier and more selfish, demanding more grandiose gifts than the year previous; parents become more withered as their means of acquiring such magnificent material goods goes out the window with the cost of the tree, the food, and the thousands of other presents it feels like they have to buy to show their affection to their friends and family.

That right there is the issue. People have become accustomed to receiving at Christmas. It is called a time of giving, but most people only give because they feel obligated to return the favors they feel they are entitled to.

Christmas has become about pleasing people, not worshipping the reason we are a people to begin with.

As a twenty year old woman, I have come to appreciate my family more and more and desire superfluous things less and less. As I venture into my independence in my undergraduate career and am beginning to provide for myself, I am learning to prioritize the necessities. I am learning what an actual necessity is.

When members of my family ask what I want for Christmas, I do not have an answer. All the things I need I can obtain for myself (to an extent, because, after all, I am only in college), and all the things I want are shifting from actual possessions into abstracts.

I want to spend time with my family who lives a thousand miles away. I want to visit old friends from my hometown. I want to relax my brain and my body. I want to worship in my hometown chapel. I want to do things that better myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

I do not want to add to my collection of obsolete paraphernalia. I want to add to my humanity, my individuality. I want to do good for my community and spread love to others.

I know the holidays are stressful not only for those who orchestrate the occasion, but also for those who participate, but they do not have to be as stressful as we make them. If we shift our mindsets to value virtues rather than possessions, a large sum of anxiety will be lifted because we will no longer feel obligated to provide for so many souls all at once.

We will learn to thrive off of the love of those around us, which will prompt us to spread love to others. This is a lot of talk, I know, and changing the ideology of an entire industry does not happen over night. I just wanted to express my thoughts on the tyranny of the corporate Christmas. Perhaps if we start small, say eliminating stocking stuffers from your list of materials to gather to arm your battalion, then mindsets will begin to shift to the true focus of Christmas.

Give love, spread peace, and say thanks. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday, and try not to stress too much, even though I know it is easier said than done.