The amount of money that Americans spend on Christmas per year is actually mind blowing. Statistics in 2010 say that $135.16 was spent on Christmas alone, including food, gifts, and holiday parties. In some ways, spending money is good. It’s a sign of showing that you care for someone, and you want to get the items that make them happy. But, spending money also has a negative; Children are raised with the knowledge that they will get presents on Christmas, and if the family has the money then most likely they will get what they want. That’s the thing; Children are excited for presents, not for the whole concept of Christmas. I actually asked my 4 year old sister a few days ago: “Why are you so excited for Christmas?” She replied excitedly with “Because Santa will bring me my Flutter-fly Fairy and my Tinker-bell bed set!” No matter how many times you explain to a child that the whole meaning of Christmas is about giving not getting, they will most likely only see Christmas as the day they can get the things that they’ve been wanting, and parents will usually buy them what they want. But what about the families who have no money? They’re put up to the expectation of spending all of this money for their kids and end up feeling sorry to their kids for being broke. And that’s not right. No matter how much money you spend, the concept of Christmas really has nothing to do with the cost. And that’s why it’s so mind blowing that people spend so much money on Christmas; because people these days are only thinking about the gifts, not the meaning behind it.