I have just finished looking at adverts from eighteen (18) different retailers for sales beginning tomorrow. Not even one of these refers in any way to Christmas. Well, a few do show snow flakes or baubles in the background, but the few times the C word shows up it is to advertise a 'Christmas tree'.

I have heard that one particular clothing store will put up no Christmas decorations at all. True? I don't know. The last several years, Disney's holiday jingle to the tune of "Down the Chimney" replaced 'Saint Nick' in the lyric with 'Santa Nick', as if we don't know what Santa means.

Very few folks who decorate their house use any sort of religious symbols. Many just have a string of white light to look like icicles. Too bad; the sentiment was beautiful.

My family doesn't personally celebrate Christmas, although we do send 'Christmas cards' to folks we know who do celebrate.

So the rant is--What's the point of giving gifts in December if there is no underlying meaning to them anymore? Why not give gifts in August when nothing much else is going on? Or on my birthday?--That would be swell.