The Holiday season is quickly approaching! With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas ahead, I have been reflecting on the process of giving and receiving. Just like many other shoppers, I too went out on 'Black Friday' to purchase items for my own friends and family. Being someone who likes to plan, I had the majority of my Christmas shopping done in September, but who doesn't like 50% off?

While I was home enjoying time with my family for Thanksgiving, I was talking to my Mom about all of the people I had bought presents for. These people included my Mom and brother, my boyfriend, my boyfriend's family, my friends, co-workers, and a few others. While I was talking my Mom said to me, "It's a shame that people think, 'My friend purchased a gift for me but I didn't purchase one for them because I wasn't expecting them to. I guess I have to go out and get something for them now'. Why do people think like that? If someone gets you a gift, they shouldn't be expecting something in return. But, I guess that's how it works nowadays". After thinking and thinking upon my Mom's words of wisdom, I came to a conclusion- she was right (Yes Mom, you always are),

We live in a consumer society that is constantly training us to buy, buy, buy. When the Holiday season approaches the message becomes 'give, give, give'. We look for the best deal, the best present, and we anticipate Christmas morning when the person we bought the gift for opens it and says, "Oh my goodness! Thank You!". After the wrapping paper is gone, so is the gift of giving. All of the anxiety, anticipation, that 'feel good' feeling in your gut, and the money spent- is gone.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love to give to others. There have been many times that I will spend money on my friends and family. Lately, with keeping in mind that I'm a College student on a fixed budget, my gifts that I have been giving have been less material and more sentimental.

Spending time with my family, making dinner for my friends, or playing with my boss' daughter are all ways to show the people in my life that I care about them and they are important to me. Some of these things may still involve money, but the action behind the gift trumps the monetary value of any item that I could have purchased them.

Giving is important to me because it's a simple act of kindness that goes such a long way.