'Tis the season of giving, not materialism

$450 billion. What is that number? The estimated cost for the rest of the Iraq War? The amount of money needed to bail out all the faltering companies in the United States? Actually, $450 billion is approximately how much Americans spend on Christmas each year. Each year, we shop for hours in crowded malls and stress over figuring out the best gifts for friends and family - and don't forget the standard Black Friday articles about accidental deaths and mass chaos. We stretch our budgets and seek the best deals to spend those dollars and cents on numerous purchases of video games, DVDs, designer clothes, jewelry, furniture and other items all for the sake of providing a gift for someone for the holiday. After all, you wouldn't want to be the jerk who didn't give a gift to someone who gave you one, would you?Christmas is a holiday that is loathed by many and loved by many. People complain about the much-too-early advertising and Christmas decorations. There are people who despise the Christmas music of Bing Crosby blasting from the speakers and the holiday lights tripping them on their way across the living room. On the other hand, there are people who love the holiday atmosphere, Christmas cheer, spiked eggnog and trips to the ice skating rink. Either way, one cannot deny the ridiculous amount of money put into this holiday. And for what purpose? Was Christmas made so that we could all buy gifts for one another? Was it made so that your aunt could buy you another sweater vest from Banana Republic? Or should we consider the greater meaning of Christmas?