Holi-dazed?

I'm pretty sure the lot of you are feeling exactly what I'm feeling these past couple of days: Overwhelmed at what is supposedly a joyous occasion. Whenever you turn on the TV, you see ads of department stores and retail firms going on their "most massive holiday sale ever," enticing you to spend, spend, spend for gifts. (On a side note, going out and spending actually does the economy a lot of good—America derives a good percentage of its GNP from retail sales.) 

Don't get me wrong. There's absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating the holidays. As a matter of fact, it's the time of the year I myself look forward to—it's just that sometimes we tend to forget why we're celebrating it in the first place. Sure, the season is also about the gifts—it's a reminder that one is loved and remembered by someone else; but doesn't it also follow that acts of altruism shouldn't stop when the time stores put down the "Sale!" signs and homes set aside decorations to gather dust for another 300 or so days? 

So while I am also joining the hundreds of people in America who'd hit the nearest mall in the early morning (open at 6AM? I'm there!), I also would be the first to reflect on the year that was. It was challenging—and for some, extremely rough—for the most part, but the fact that we're still here and still among the living already is something to be thankful for, right? 

I for one can't wait for 2008 to be over, and allow 2009 to roll in with new hopes, new opportunities, and new promises. But until I'm counting down the last few seconds of December 31st, I'm definitely going to enjoy the chilly weather, the fact that I have friends who have been nothing but amazing, and the presents that I'm going to get in 2 weeks' time.