Nightmare before Christmas

Ok, yes, that's a very obvious, awful, easy typical and topical title for a post but you know, sometimes the secret sleeping journalist that I have inside appears to say hello.
No, I'm not the typical killjoy who hate christmas. Mainly because for a long time for me Christmas means go back with my whole family after a long time far from home. So I love Christmas because is time (in my case) of re-union with brother, parents, uncles, cousins... and that's always great.
What I hate are those 15-20 days before Christmas, when the nightmare starts. All the big companies are "attacking" you looking for your wallet, that concept of "have to buy" because is Christmas. Money always screw it all. Even in the most classical and beautiful movie about Christmas ( It's a wonderful life) the main character suffers because of the money. "If you know the person, you'll find the present", that's more or less the advert of an important company for this Christmas (beautiful advert indeed). Well, that's very dangerous because that could make you think that you don't really know your close family and friends. On this days when everybody soon (on the store) or later (on the internet) buys what they want it's harder and harder to buy a proper present (it's christmas, has to be proper) so when you give a present there are 2 options and a miracle:
1st option: Receiver liked it but not useful so it has a clear future: closet.
2nd option: Good present BUT... Clear future: change in the store with the ticket.
Miracle: Good present, receiver liked it and useful. Even in Christmas miracles are very difficult.

I think Father Christmas just came 2 or 3 times to my house and that was long time ago. Probably Menorca is too far for him or maybe Rudolph has some kind of agoraphobia but our tradition is more about the Three wise man: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. When you wake up on the 6th of January you've got your presents waiting for you. Some wealthy families recieve the visit of Father Christmas on Christmas eve and the Three wise just one week later but that's not normal, I suppose is all about being "well connected".

I want to explain you another beautiful tradition, is a Catalan custom and you can think is a bit scatological but is very funny and interesting to know. The tradition is called "Tió de Nadal" (the translation would be "Christmas Log") but is popularly called "Caga tió" (Pooping log). Yeah, is what it seems. Obviously we are in 2008 and with the globalisation and mondialisation this tradition is being replaced by Father Christmas, I think in 5-10 years he will have the monopoly of Christmas presents...
You'll find more information about how to make poo a log here (without a context is a very weird phrase isn't it?): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ti%C3%B3_de_Nadal

I've got a very short Christmas tale to finish this post. Well, more than a Christmas tale is a real sad situation. You know when somebody has a problem and doesn't want to tell anybody about it but needs to explain it? In that case the phrase normally is: "I have a friend that...".
Well, a real person that I know has a problem so I imagine I'll have to say I've got a problem. Yeah, I have a problem, I have to buy some presents for my "new" girlfriend's family wich I don't know but I have to buy a present because is Christmas and I'll go to their house on Christmas day (My family is living far from here). If I don't buy it they are going to hate me or at least think I'm not good enough. I have to buy presents for my girlfriend's parents, granparents and my girlfriend's aunts and uncles. I'm really desperate, I don't have time to buy a present because I'm working a lot and my money is running out. I'm on a dead end and I don't know what to do. When I look on the mirror I don't know if the tears of stress and desperation on my eyes are the real Christmas spirit but what I do know is that we shouldn't need a excuse or a date to make presents.
I don't know if I have sorted out but I wish for me a very happy new year with sales, valentine's day, father's day, mother's day and lot's of birthdays.

Merry Christmas to everybody and good luck with your presents, don't worry, you'll always be able to change it!!