5:00am Shopping Spree?

How many of us are awakening at 5:00am tomorrow - the day after Thanksgiving - to catch the best deals on Christmas items? The Christmas sales are now on, but interestingly, I went to a local department store in October, and Christmas decorations were already on display. I thought to myself, "You've got to be kidding," and then remembered that our society has so commercialized Christmas.

And so this is the year my daughter will begin to learn what Christmas is all about. As Christians, it is important to my husband and I that my daughter know Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. But Santa Claus is important too! No need to abandon that tradition (pagan though it is). What we've decided on is that Santa is Jesus' helper, and the gifts our daughter receives symbolizes (in a very small way) the ultimate gift Jesus paid on the cross for all of humanity.

Back to the commercialization of Christmas...the department stores are going to be horrendously crowded, I imagine. And I need to get diapers for my "big girl." Will I return from my brief run unscathed? Will I go, knowing that my mission has borders which surround the baby/toddler department, or will I succumb to the pressure and buy more Christmas decorations?