But I digress.

There are those who celebrate Dec. 25, or days near it, with a religious bent – including those who insist that the phrase “Happy holidays” is a Communist liberal pinko left-wing blue state attack on them and their beliefs – and I bear no ill will to them. (Here’s something interesting – think of all the purely religious songs from this holiday. Now count the holiday songs from this time of year that DON’T talk about religion, i.e Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, etc. And what about the songs that just have the word “Christmas” but no other religious reference? Where do they fit?)

But I don’t think this day belongs primarily to religion anymore. This holiday is about being happy to give and to receive, the basics of being nice to each other and consumerism. I think this holiday belongs more to the American culture now, to the flashy lights, the 5-pound newspaper circulars, to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to gift cards being even offered at gas stations – because, c’mon, what says “I value you as a fellow human being” better than a 10 free gallons?

Consider this: According to the Washington, DC-based National Retail Federation, even during a time when hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost, while housing values have dropped in some places by 50% or more, where homelessness is increasing by double-digit percentages -- spending during this holiday season is expected to set a record-setting $469.1 BILLION. This is the season that stores opened ON THANKSGIVING – and people still stormed the shelves.

Honestly, I think it’s what our capitalist country needs, and I’m not the only one. In a recent statement, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said this increased holiday spending brings added stability to our recovering economy at a time when American needs it most. A spokeswoman for the organization told me Wednesday that the holiday season can account for as much as 40% of a retailer’s annual sales, making the months of November and December basically almost a do-or-die indicator for how it will spend money into the next year.

So basically, get out there shop – a lot – or that store there today probably won’t be there by June. You want jobs? Spend some dough – buy that Call of Duty video game for your teenage boy or those Disney Tinkerbell PJs for your little girl.

So no, I don’t feel any religious guilt about having a tree or filling underneath with a stack of wrapped presents for my children. I still put up a tree, and I still buy presents, because, let’s be honest, buying stuff and knowing other people are buying stuff for you is fun and exciting. It’s a time to adopt both a charitable and greedy attitude.

Because isn’t that really just what we’re made of, deep down, as Americans?