The Real Meaning of the Holidays?

As I am reading blogs and posts on twitter, I'm realizing more than ever that this holiday gift giving thing is just getting crazy. I tell you want I want, you tell me what you want and then we wrap it up and give it to each other at Christmas. All surprise or creativity is gone. We are essentially doing other people's shopping for them.

Here's where the exception comes in...I love shopping for my 6 year old son and seeing how excited he is on Christmas morning. He still believes in the magic of it all. I love shopping for a family that has fallen on hard times so that they can have the same excitement my son does on Christmas.

In most cases we can't eliminate the exchanging of gifts. I would just like to make it more meaningful.

So tell me what your family has done to bring back the true meaning of the holidays. Please!