Out of right field:

With the economy in the state it is, many people are cutting back on their spending this holiday season. Granted, that piece of information is not exactly headline news. It is totally understandable; when people have less money to spend, they obviously buy fewer things. The question I have is if that will really affect their mood during the holidays. The attitude of some shallow individuals reflects the fact they seem to think they actually need more trivial material things in order to be happy. A few interesting shoppers interviewed on CNN mentioned the holidays "just wouldn't be as merry this year," because they were not able to buy as many presents. If presents and money are the only things they have that give them joy, they deserve the fate given to them. If they cannot make the best of the tough times we are all facing, they need to go through the holidays with less money than before. In the midst of our nation's financial crisis, we need to find joy in things besides how thick our wallets may be. Here in Utah, we are doing a pretty good job of this according to a poll done by Deseret News/KSL-TV. Sixty-three percent of Utahns say they plan to donate at least as much to charities as they did last year. More than 20 said they would donate more, and 13 percent said they would give less. From the state of economy, it is a pleasant surprise the percentage that said they would give less was so low. All in all about 96 percent were determined to give what they could. It would be a pretty safe bet to say those who gave, even if it is less than what they have given in past years, have a more joyous holiday season than those worried their own merriment would go down because of lack of money. Some may pack their own homes, and big closets with fancy, luxurious things, while their cold and timid souls remain shallow and empty. When we look at examples of the Christmas spirit, one of the best is Dickens's timeless character, Ebenezer Scrooge. With his riches and wealth, he was never happy until he shared his life with others. We won't be either. Christmas trees were not meant to celebrate the almighty dollar, or the euro, or the pound, or whatever currency you may use. Christmas lights were not meant to remind us of bargains or sales at the nearest store. The presents we give and receive should not be a symbol of our socioeconomic status, or be a contest about who can spend the most. Christmas should remind us of something far more personal. Some of us here at Weber State may be away from home for the first time, or struggling with our finances. Some may be feeling lonely during this time of year. It may be of comfort to remember a young couple on their first Christmas. They were away from home, they were poor, and they couldn't even find a place to stay. With that family in mind, our Christmas will be merry. No matter what.