Regardless of the commercial downside, Christmas brings out the best in people. Whenever the time comes around, I'm unexpectedly in a giving mood every single year. I notice that some gifts mean way more to the recipient than the money means to me. It may sound hokie, but I'm typically the one who actually gets the present when I see appreciation on another person's face.

Christmas time is what you make of it. My suggestion is that if you have a problem with all the Christmas fanfare, then try to keep it simple and just give to some people in need. You'll most likely find out that the real gift is to yourself.

And, no, there is no better time of the year to give. Christmas time is it. Lots of people are depressed around this time period to the point of wanting to kill themselves. Also, people who are not in the best of health just feel like giving up for some reason around Christmas. Maybe it's the weather. Maybe it's them looking around and being depressed that they have no loved ones in their lives. If you're not depressed to the point of being about to die, then you're one of the stronger ones. Use your strength to pull up someone else up.

Peace