As Christmas Approaches
From 2007: As Christmas approaches, you tend to get excited about many things. You start thinking of wonderful gifts to give your family and friends. You anticipate the gifts that others are choosing for you. Gatherings are planned to celebrate the season with a festive air. Trees have been put up and decorated with lights, bits of tinsel, Hallmark ornaments, and hand-crafted pieces from second grade. You have put out your favorite nativity scene and rented all of the classics from Video Hut down the street. The eggnog is chilling in the refrigerator and Bing is crooning about snow on Christmas from the stereo in the corner. Your Christmas cards are in the mail with your personal notes to each and every friend and family member, and you have started receiving cards and displaying them for all to see. Each card that arrives not only contains a nice little sentiment about the holiday season, but it also adds another notch to your belt of self-importance. You and your