7. The "Joy" Of the Holiday Season

Years ago, the Holidays were taken as a time of happiness, allowing those to have a peace of mind and to experience life with their loved ones. It was a time of great joy, an era we as a nation should strive to reconnect to, rather than to drift away from our old traditions and customs as we are currently enforcing today. Rather, we should try to enjoy the season for what it truly means deep down, not as a materialistic holiday, but as a means to get closer to one another.

From the month of November, to the few weeks following after Christmas, the time for great deals and good bargains is upon us. Ranging from Black Friday near death experiences to the last minute panic of trying to get all your holiday gifts together, the excitement of the holidays really puts pressure on ones mental well-being. 

On Thanksgiving Day, my father had saw a deal for a 50' flat-screen on the television at Walmart, I'll admit that it was a good bargain, but the requirements in order to obtain said item were pretty harsh. You had to wait in line during the time frame of 6pm-8pm, which was the exact time we as a family were going to enjoy our dinner, but instead half of my family had to miss out and the table was barren. Stores make it so a good deal overrides the importance of family, and ends up turning the holiday into just a means to make profit. It's quite disgusting to think about actually, the fact that stores stay open during prime time for family gatherings in order to make money, and make other people work rather than spending time with their families. 

Even the day right after Thanksgiving, advertisements for holiday deals were already being made. The holiday season isn't seen as family bonding time, or carrying out old traditions, instead it's been made into a commercial holiday strictly for profit and fuel for materialistic measures. It's even heartbreaking to think that some people don't even see the holidays for religious reasons, for example calling Christmas, Xmas instead. Getting rid of the "Christ" makes the holiday practically lose all meaning. 

Personally, I'm not heavily religious, but I still believe it's quite disheartening to see people only celebrate a holiday in an attempt of only to gain. People to find joy in giving rather than receiving anymore, and it's all because of the media and the way the manipulate and family centered time of the year in a way to make quick money.