PZ Myers For The WIN!

Every year, I want to write the perfect post about our overly commercialized Christmas Shopping Season.  But I can never get past the first few words without feeling the bile brought on by one more commercial extorting me to purchase a luxury auto for my Beloved.  Or even better are the vain attempts to convince me that I will get respect and admiration (not to mention porn-star quality sex) if I buy her a bunch of rocks.

Apparently I am not alone in my pragmatic, if spend-thrifty, angst.  PZ Myers sums it up perfectly:

I can tell you exactly what would happen if I spent a month's salary or more on jewelry (or worse, a year's income on a car). My wife would look aghast, and waver between calling the hospital for an immediate psychiatric consult and kicking me in the groin. I would spend that much on inessential frippery? Without consulting her? There sure wouldn't be any sexual arousal, unless these commercial makers easily confuse that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach at the thought of budget-busting debt with "sexy."

Amanda Marcotte, as usual, exposes the completely ridiculous nature of the power game that is 'romantic' holiday gifting.

Her money quote:

I’m certainly not averse to the concept of getting enthusiastic about giving or receiving gifts. I’m a sucker for it. But when the main selling point of a gift is, “I am so expensive that it puts the recipient into an informal debt to you to be repaid with sex, monogamy, etc.”, then it’s not about the fun anymore and starts to get creepy.

I've heard it said that "if money can't buy love than you're shopping in the wrong part of town".  Don't get me wrong, I love to buy my beloved things.  They're often vastly more frivolous than they need to be, but at least I think she'll want and like them.  But I do have a litmus test, anymore.  If I look at something that I want to buy her, and start to feel that weird sense that I'm purchasing a hooker's service, then I'm going in the wrong direction.