Christmas List...

By now, you've probably had a few people ask you what you want for Christmas.

I have, as at least the Underwoods, Waltas, and Jennie inquired as to my yule-tide wishes.

I don't know exactly what it is, but my perspective on Christmas and gifts has changed somewhere along the line.

Usually, I feel guilty thinking about what I "want" for Christmas. I realize I have everything I need. In fact, if you cut my possessions in half, I'd still have everything I need. Cut them in half again, and I'd still... you get the point. Ours is a nation of excess, a culture of comfort.

When I realize that I don't really "need" anything, I start to think about "legitimate" wants. New clothes. Money for school. Gift certificates to take my wife out for dinner. Stuff for our baby or our family.

Somewhere in my American, white-middle-class past, I learned to give into the "non-legitimate" wants for Christmas. I grab the Best Buy ad out of the Sunday paper every week. I go online to look at the latest gadgets and movies and such. I look at my list of "legitimate wants" like a new shirt or whatever and fight feelings of dissatisfaction. Like toys are supposed to make me happy. Like the iPod Shuffle just isn't big enough or cool enough. Like the 150 books I already own and want to read aren't complete without book #151. Like my "Ohio State room" isn't exciting enough without one more bobblehead, picture, or program.

As I sort through my Christmas list... As I define some things as "wants" and others as "non-legitimate wants"...

Right here in Delaware, there are people who cannot afford to give their kids a Christmas gift. There are people who rely on food pantries for their Christmas dinner. There are those without a home.

And I have a whole room in my house devoted to a football team.

Just thinking "out loud" on paper, I guess. Not sure where this is leading, I just know I feel this to some extent every Christmas. Don't we all?

But what to do about it?