By: Alvie Hafen

Oh December! It’s the most wonderful time of the year! At least that’s what they say. The spirit of Christmas has been lost; the love, the giving, the holiday cheer has been replaced with Black Friday shopping, staring at your iPhone, and a “get as much as you can” mentality.

Malls and other retailers were open on Thanksgiving Day to start their Black Friday specials. On Thanksgiving… Seems ironic, right? We’re supposed to be giving thanks for what we have; our family, our health, a meal on our table. It’s a time when we’re supposed to be with our loved ones. The holiday season is about being with your family.

But the only thing we seem to be thinking about is buying, spending, and getting more.

On Black Friday, here in Reno a person was shot and killed, over a parking spot. Let that sink in… A life was taken; someone’s sibling, someone’s child, someone’s parent was murdered over a PARKING SPOT! Since 2011, there have been 10 deaths on Black Friday and over 105 injuries. NO gift, NO sale, NO parking spot is worth killing or injuring another person for. Material possessions have now become the focus of the Christmas Season. Is this really what we have come to?

You may think an expensive gift is the way to go for a loved one, but the gift will fade, it will break, and there will be a newer version in 6 months. The gift you should really give is YOUR time. Give your family attention, go make memories with them, spend time with your parents, go to their house for Christmas, make hot chocolate and go sledding! Don’t make a sad, sorry excuse and send them a gift to make up for it. There is no greater gift you can give someone than your time, your attention, your love. One day your parents may be in the hospital and they wont have much longer to live. They won’t care or remember that gift you gave them, they will only remember the time you spent with them.

Love your family and spend time with them. Be kind and serve one another. Don’t leave room for regrets or broken promises. Today is already short and there is no promise of tomorrow.