Happy Holidays?

What ever happened to being happy and joyful during the holidays? My friend and I were discussing this yesterday at D-Hall during lunch and I was just dumfounded by how uptight and enraged people get around this type of year. By this type of year, I mean Black Friday and Cyber Monday in particular. Every year it seems to get worse and worse with the amount of injuries and fights that break out over merchandise that is meant to be given to someone as a happy gift. Scenes such as this black friday video make me question the civility of some people. During the holidays, everyone is wanting to spread Christmas cheer or holiday spirit and be happy, but in order to do that you have to create a mob and violently retrieve the best deals? I do not think so. This type of behavior is so hypocritical and it's embarrassing to think that I am the same species as the people that commit these crimes. To think that people have actually died over the last couple of years from this "holiday" is just ridiculous. This induced stress that we put on ourselves to buy the best deals and get the best presents for the lowest prices is unnecessary. Maybe I am old fashioned by saying that the holidays are meant to be more about just being giving and generous to others but that is what I feel is true. Whether you are giving a brand new car to your spouse or giving your time to volunteer at a local food pantry it is all the same in hindsight view. So, in the end, just think about how you prepare for the holidays this December and remember that we are a civil people or at least supposed to be.