What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Right, so it's 22 days until Christmas and I can already feel the hysteria beginning to build.

I have to say that I am not entirely a festive creature, but I do enjoy the build up and way it seems to change people's actions and attitudes.

My only issue is the shadow that consumerism often brings to this special time, which is now the way our society seems to view Christmas, which is a sad thought.

Christmas should install the message of peace, harmony and unity and the chance to spend quality time with friends and loved ones.

Yet, year in, year out, thousands of people appear to lose the traditional message and instead give into the pressures of spending and run up huge amounts of debt throughout the festive season.

We are constantly bombarded with statistics about how families are getting themselves into vast amounts of debt to cover the costs of Christmas and how, in some extreme cases, families take the desperate measure of borrowing money from loan sharks.

This year alone in the UK, forecasts show that we are expected to spend a whopping £6.8bn online, which is an increase of £837m on last year's figure.

So why are we so pressured into spending? Christmas should be a fun, exciting time, not a time that many families have come to dread.

Why not make a change this year and try to see beyond the gifts and general overindulgence, and make the most of the traditional Christmasvalues.

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