Business Insight Merry and Bright... It has started. Holiday season is in full bloom and even Amazon.com is experiencing traffic. Christmas and other winter holidays became very much a shopping spree for many. I get it. We want to enjoy the season, there will be good deals on items we may want to get, and exchanging gifts has become a long tradition during this time. But times have changed. People do not cherish simple gifts and even children want Santa to bring them electronics. Five- year-old little individuals own Iphones. Video games and other time stealing gadgets are the most popular presents for the holidays. Just think about it for a second. Rather than plan to spend more time together and in person, many of us will enjoy spending time with ourselves, exploring these new gadgets. And this includes children. Something is wrong with this picture. It is not quite new. It has been invading our normalcy for a while, but now, it is simply the standard. And all other small gifts? Just wait until AFTER the holidays and watch the long lines to return the items nobody needed and wanted. presented by Arlington Dermatology All of this is not normal, and all of this is removing the most important part of what Christmas and other holidays are. Recently, I watched some late-night show, and the host had a funny interaction with a group of young children, 5-7-year-olds. They discussed who was nice and who was naughty. And they were asked a multiple- choice question: Who is the Christmas Holiday dedicated for? The answers were: 1. Jesus 2. Moses 3. Taylor Swift 4. Oprah. The kids picked: Oprah. While it is very funny, it also shows how far we have gone from the true meaning of the Holidays to commercialism of everything. Christmas, Hannukah, weddings, gender-revealing, healthcare, you name it... And somehow, nobody stops for a minute and reflects on why. Why are we allowing self-interactions with cell phones or computers during the times when we should just talk to each. other? Why do we spend money for just one day and not think about many years to come? And why the most intimate moments of our lives become a reason for others to squeeze cash from us? This is not normal; this is wrong. I am not innocent in this crazy run either. No, I admit being a part of the show. However, more and more often I catch myself and rather than follow the crowd, I pick a charity that may need my money more than stores with electronics. Or a museum that had to lay off many custodians because we stopped visiting museums altogether. I also reflect on spending time on simple tasks and activities that slowly are becoming obsolete, like reading a book or doing a puzzle together. From that moment of reflection, I move on to thinking we should 'establish' our own holidays to repeat these simple tasks and activities. Like a 'comedy watched together' day or let's bring cleaning supplies to the local animal shelter day. It feels good and rewarding to make a real change, even a small one, in someone's life or your own life by rejecting commercialism and replacing it with a warm heart. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight Merry and Bright ... It has started . Holiday season is in full bloom and even Amazon.com is experiencing traffic . Christmas and other winter holidays became very much a shopping spree for many . I get it . We want to enjoy the season , there will be good deals on items we may want to get , and exchanging gifts has become a long tradition during this time . But times have changed . People do not cherish simple gifts and even children want Santa to bring them electronics . Five year - old little individuals own Iphones . Video games and other time stealing gadgets are the most popular presents for the holidays . Just think about it for a second . Rather than plan to spend more time together and in person , many of us will enjoy spending time with ourselves , exploring these new gadgets . And this includes children . Something is wrong with this picture . It is not quite new . It has been invading our normalcy for a while , but now , it is simply the standard . And all other small gifts ? Just wait until AFTER the holidays and watch the long lines to return the items nobody needed and wanted . presented by Arlington Dermatology All of this is not normal , and all of this is removing the most important part of what Christmas and other holidays are . Recently , I watched some late - night show , and the host had a funny interaction with a group of young children , 5-7 - year - olds . They discussed who was nice and who was naughty . And they were asked a multiple choice question : Who is the Christmas Holiday dedicated for ? The answers were : 1. Jesus 2. Moses 3. Taylor Swift 4. Oprah . The kids picked : Oprah . While it is very funny , it also shows how far we have gone from the true meaning of the Holidays to commercialism of everything . Christmas , Hannukah , weddings , gender - revealing , healthcare , you name it ... And somehow , nobody stops for a minute and reflects on why . Why are we allowing self - interactions with cell phones or computers during the times when we should just talk to each . other ? Why do we spend money for just one day and not think about many years to come ? And why the most intimate moments of our lives become a reason for others to squeeze cash from us ? This is not normal ; this is wrong . I am not innocent in this crazy run either . No , I admit being a part of the show . However , more and more often I catch myself and rather than follow the crowd , I pick a charity that may need my money more than stores with electronics . Or a museum that had to lay off many custodians because we stopped visiting museums altogether . I also reflect on spending time on simple tasks and activities that slowly are becoming obsolete , like reading a book or doing a puzzle together . From that moment of reflection , I move on to thinking we should ' establish ' our own holidays to repeat these simple tasks and activities . Like a ' comedy watched together ' day or let's bring cleaning supplies to the local animal shelter day . It feels good and rewarding to make a real change , even a small one , in someone's life or your own life by rejecting commercialism and replacing it with a warm heart . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net