During this holiday season, we as a society are constantly bombarded with advertisements promoting new products and deals for things we did not even know existed: and never needed until that moment. It becomes a constant cash grab, with companies doing everything they can to get people to BUY.

For a long time, Christmas has been centered around the gifts people give or receive, instead of the meaning of the holiday itself. No matter what someone’s religion is, the holiday season usually represents a time to slow down, come together, and spend time with loved ones. Those moments are more valuable than any present, because the material things are only one small part of the bigger picture.

Of course, gifts can help shape those memories. Some of my favorite holiday moments are from times when I was surprised with a new phone or a toy I had begged for.

But the gift was never the most important part.

What made those moments meaningful was the people around me. My parents and my sister were the ones who made the day special, and without them the gift would not have felt the same.

As I get older, I have started to understand this more. The excitement I used to feel for presents has shifted into something different. Now I value the simple things, like sitting around the table, talking, or laughing about something small. These are the memories that stay with me long after the holiday ends.

Gifts can break, get lost, or fade out of our lives, but the time we share with the people we care about stays with us. And that is what makes the holiday season truly meaningful.