I've been thinking...

There seems to be a lot of talk this year about how the holidays have become too commercial. But I'm going to argue just the opposite: I believe the holidays have become too charitable.

What is it about the holidays that brings out the call for charitable giving? Radiothons for Make--A-Wish, food drives, coat donations, Toys for Tots. It is every. freaking. where and you can not get away from it.

Are there really that many people who make generous end-of-the-year donations as a way of lowering their taxable income? No, I think all this holiday-related giving is a way to relieve the guilt people feel for having IGNORED THE NEEDY ALL YEAR LONG.

I think it's pitiful that charitable organizations have to wait until the very last weeks of the year to have people pay attention to them. I believe the extravagant commercialism of the holidays causes a guilt that then drives shoppers to drop their spare change into the Salvation Army bucket.

If we all were to cut back on our holiday spending, buying only just a few small trinkets for our immediate family, no one would feel the need to make sure that the less fortunate were taken care of in December.

Also...that "PS I Love You" movie? Didn't Jennifer Garner already make that film?