I'm a little perturbed about how gift giving happens among
those with means. I should say, among those I know with
means. I know a lot of it is "tradition" but I can't help
hating it. I know some who do gift exchanges, but who
send exact lists to one another of things to purchase.
In other words, they simply tell one another exactly
what to buy, then exchange it around Christmas time.
What's worse is when one of the even attempts to come
up with some idea that isn't on the list, they encounter
a stone wall of resistance, because the child or adult
in question basically has everything else in the world
that wasn't on the exact list.

To me, the whole thing stinks. First of all, it's lame to
make a shopping list and expect other people to fulfill
it for you. Second of all, if you're doing so well that
you can purchase anything and everything you want or need
at any time, then you don't really need a gift at all. A
"gift" of a shopping-list item doesn't mean much, does it?
Where's the surprise, the joy, the fun?

I'm being a little cryptic because the people I'm talking
about are close to me, and I love them. Not that they'd
be reading on my gopher site, but you never know.

I honestly want to take a break from all holiday's for a 
while. Not from the love, sharing, visiting, or anything
of worth, but from Hallmark(tm), candy, meaningless gifts,
and frustrating obligation and expense. Now I just have
to figure out a way to communicate that to my family
members.