The Holiday Dilemma.

We're now in the serious holiday shopping season. And I'm not one who decries the commercialization of Christmas.

In fact, I grew up in a retailing family, clerking at my parents' clothing business, and in the '70's published an Op-Ed piece in The New York Times about my good memories of "Christmas at the store." (The argument of the piece was that nostalgia's better when it's real and honest, not Currier & Ives.)

But nostalgia aside, the holidays are for many us (me, for one) pressureful--an extra set of deadlines. What to do about this? It takes some spunk to single-handedly go against the great wave that says have it all done by the 25th.

I'd like to be able to give a Christmas present at any point during the year. And have it all done up in Christmas paper and ribbon, never mind that it might be August or April. Do you think I'll ever do that? Would I really like it? Don't know.

But some new variations on the ways to celebrate would be an interesting experiment. I'd love to hear your stories here.


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