If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my time working in retail, it’s this: Santa Claus is the anti-Christ.

While many students were at home spending Thanksgiving with their families, I was still in Lincoln, 400 miles from home. I do have some family here, so I wasn’t alone, but it’s kind of like dancing with someone else’s wife: It works OK, but it’s just not the same. In three and a half years at college, it’s the first time I’ve experienced even a hint of homesickness.

And why was I here? Because I had to be to work at 6:45 Friday morning so people could save a few bucks on crap that isn’t worth buying anyway. One of my co-workers summed it up pretty well when he greeted me on Friday by saying, “Happy screwed-up American priorities day.” It’s enough to make me want to punt a baby penguin.

And these were the sane ones. I was fortunate enough to work at a place that didn’t open until 7. I feel sorry for the people who work at places like Wal-Mart or Target and had to be to work ridiculously early. Have people lost their minds?

I don’t fault the stores. They’re just trying to make money to get into the black for the year. Major sales are simply a way to reach that goal. It’s the consumers who are the problem. Do these people really think they have nothing better to do than stand in line the night of Thanksgiving so they can buy a new TV? Personally, I consider sleep to be much more important. I guess I’m just weird.

But it’s not like this is anything new. Christmas has been completely stripped of its meaning for years in favor of rampant consumerism. The real significance of the holiday is pushed aside and, for the most part, just gets lip service. People may put up a nativity set in their homes, but then they become preoccupied with what they need to buy.

I fail to see how spending money faster than the Obama administration honors a humble carpenter who was born in a stable and never in his life cared about wealth or material possessions. A fat man in a red suit can hardly measure up to the gifts given to us by a child lying in a manger. Christmas isn’t about packages wrapped in paper; it’s about a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not necessarily saying people should just stop buying stuff for Christmas.

The economy would be in even bigger trouble if people completely stopped spending money at the time of year that often makes or breaks retail businesses. But that should be a secondary concern. Spending time with the people you love is far more important.

If you don’t get someone the perfect gift, it isn’t the end of the world. Their feelings about you shouldn’t be swayed by that. My best friend is taking me to an Avalanche/Red Wings game two days after Christmas. It’s a great gift and will be my first NHL game, but I’m not looking forward to it because I want to go to a hockey game. I’m looking forward to it because I’ll be spending that time with her. That’s a far greater gift than anything someone could buy for me.

Stop worrying so much about buying presents, and worry more about the only thing people can give each other that actually matters: love. Family, friends, spouses, significant others. These are the things that matter, not that 40-inch plasma TV you trampled three people and punched an old lady to get for half price. Those are the things I’ll be thinking about while I’m at work for a pointless extra hour when there won’t be any customers anyway.