My parents and I just took a walk around their southeastern Virginia neighborhood and I was struck by the excess of everything that this holiday generates. Yes, I realize this isn’t at all a new cultural phenomenon, but I feel I’m seeing the situation with fresh eyes since I spent the last two Christmases living in a country without a Christian majority. In my parents’ neighborhood dozens of homes are dripping in millions of — admittedly dazzling — lights. I like those lights, I do. But I even saw a brite-lite-looking Santa Claus perched from a basketball hoop. Funny, true, but is that really necessary? Every trash can and recycling bin is stuffed with paper, boxes and ribbons. A sign the economy is recovering? We can only hope. Anyway, from discussions with friends I get the feeling that every generation thinks the one before it experienced more meaningful Christmases. Reading at least to the middle of this article and you’ll see it just ain’t so.

Laura Pohl