I apologize if this rankles any feathers, but I am so ready to punch every bell-ringing, merchandise-discounting, season-greeting, happy-holiday-wishing Santa, clerk, postal worker and passerby.  The shopping frenzy and the ridiculous decorating, creating a palpable angst far greater than the insincere tidings of joy, has completely warn out its cultural welcome.  Aside from the incidental connection to the belief of those who embrace the anniversary of their savior, (I still need some empirical data on that regard), the “holiday season” teaches terrible lessens of greed and expectation to those who have and creates indelible memories of disenfranchisement to those who have not.  A true spirit of love and caring and giving shouldn’t require a designated yearly chronology and its coincidence with a relentless retail blitzkrieg should be proof enough of what has become the true meaning of Christmas.  Fa la!

I’m not feeling particularly Scrooge-like…quite the contrary.  So, if I’m visited by any ghosts, past, present or future, I’m cool.