The true meaning of Christmas

Many people complain that Christmas has become too materialistic. It’s true that people spend billions every winter on Christmas gifts, decorations and parties. But a new study has found that most people in the US think it’s more important to give money to charity than it is to spend money on gifts. And I think this is a great reason to celebrate.

It's been a difficult year for a lot of people here in the US. The study for the American Red Cross found that almost one in four of us have had a wage cut, 14% have lost their job and 41% of them have lost money on the stock market. However, even people who have been affected by the bad economy still plan to give money to help people who are poorer than they are. And 68% say that it’s a good idea to ask someone to give money to charity instead of buying them a gift.

Christmas might be a religious holiday for Christians only. But the meaning of Christmas is for everyone. I wish you all a meaningful and merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!