What is Christmas really about?

Veronica posted this video awhile back, Kate said her church is doing it this year, and this is my goal for next Christmas! I just posted it on facebook and said if you're in my family, you're probably not going to like it! LOL!
Seriously though, this video hits the nail right on the head! It's so true. Every year, I get so aggravated as I wait for lists of what everyone in my family wants me to buy them. I keep thinking, can't we just keep our own lists and go buy ourselves what we want and save everyone the trouble, hassle, money, and aggravation?!! It's just so absolutely ridiculous and insane the way we run around, last minute, trying to find things that no one really needs, probably won't be happy with, just so we can open a few presents on Christmas day and smile for pictures. And with the money we all spend on these useless gifts, we could be saving the world's major problems!
This video addresses the clean water issue, but it doesn't have to be clean water that you spend your money on instead of buying useless gifts. It could be adopting a family in need, who has nothing. It could be giving that money to a family like Amy's or Lauren's, who are both adopting an orphan from Ethiopia......imagine what that would do for a child's life?!!! There are so many needs in the world, and the bible says that once you know about them, you cannot pretend that you don't.
Proverbs 24:12 -- "If you say, 'but we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?"

I was at the bookstore yesterday, and found the "Advent Conspiracy" book. I didn't even know they had a book, but I'm reading it now! I just think that we cannot proclaim to be Christians and worship consumerism every Christmas......the two just don't go together, especially if we acknowledge that the money we have is not ours, it is His. What do you think He would want us to do with it?
Now, having said all that, I will be rushing around this weekend trying to find items on my family's "wish list." But, I am really hoping that next year will be different. That is my goal. Who else has seen this and wants to make a change next year? Keep in mind that there are lots of places you can buy gifts from that actually use that money for good causes, so sometimes it's not always about spending less, it's about where you spend your money. And of course I'm not going to quit buying my girls Christmas presents........Christmas is for the kids, in my opinion, and my goal is just to show them that it's fun, but it's not what Christmas is ALL about.