North Star Writers Group

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Mere days away from Thanksgiving, Nintendo and Sony kick-started the season of both thanks and giving right on time.

As Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 hit retailers across the country last weekend, it is safe to assume that more than a little sleep was eagerly sacrificed upon the altar of advanced technological home entertainment. Some people began camping outside stores as early as Tuesday night in order to ensure that they would be the first ones on Friday morning to excitedly hand over $600 plus tax for a game console.

However, most of these eager beavers did not show up in the interest of entertainment. They were merely taking advantage of the fact that, somewhere in the world, there are those who consider $600 plus tax for a game console one heck of a bargain. Evidently, some people thought the PS3 was so extraordinary that they willingly spent as much as $4,000 to secure one on EBay.

While one individual sat comfortably by his computer and bid away thousands of dollars in order to be the first one on his street with the next big thing, another spent several nights freezing off facial features in order to reap the financial benefits. It is a tale of two pities.

Every year at about this time, we start talking about the things that really matter – family, love, giving, thanksgiving. And every year, these things tend to be overshadowed by the unique and fantastic world of competitive shopping.

On one hand, shopping has everything to do with the season. We love our families, so we show our gratitude by spending our time and money on those things we know they will enjoy. But how many Christmas shoppers do you see smiling?

Ironically, for some people, this is the most stressful time of the year.

Thanksgiving would seem to be the most appropriate holiday possible to usher in the holiday season, but in the wake of last Friday morning’s countrywide rioting, money-grubbing and materialism appear to have wrested away the spotlight. Chances are, this upcoming Friday will prove to be no different whatsoever when we race against neighbors-turned-adversaries for bargain DVDs, digital cameras and cantankerous dolls that giggle.

Perhaps the uncomfortable question we need to ask is: Are we shopping out of love or obligation? The problem may be that our expectations are too lofty. We expect to have our gift-lists fulfilled, and we assume that those for whom we are shopping expect the same. We expect that we will be disappointed if we fail to receive what we really want, and we assume that those for whom we are shopping will feel the same, if not worse. And so, in order to meet these expectations, we will buy anything and everything in order to avoid what we assume would be unbearable disappointment.

But perhaps our expectations are not as lofty as they are misplaced. Instead of making scrupulous lists of things we want, we could be making scrupulous lists of those things we appreciate about the people we love. Instead of anticipating a time of newly fulfilled wish-lists, we can anticipate a time set aside for considering the gifts we give and receive all the time – those that revolve more around relationships than receipts. Even Christmas is not merely about the gift of one event, but about an entire life dedicated to serving others.

This year, as we demonstrate our love for those around us, there will be stress, frustration and indignant shoppers who see the last copy of the DVD they had been planning on buying ever since they saw the great deal in last Sunday’s ad, snatched from underneath their fingertips. But when this happens to you, remind yourself that even if you never secure the one item your sibling, child, parent or friend wanted the most, chances are they will still want you around come the holidays, and most likely, you can buy it for them some other time, no matter what month it is.

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This is Column # NS31. Request permission to publish here.