Why Are the Holidays So Hard?

As I sat feeling so sad and sorry for some unfortunate people this Christmas season, it occured to me:  Why are the holidays so hard?  So stressful and depressing for some?  This is definitely a tough time of year, especially with these tough economic times.  Why do we let it get to us at Christmastime?  It should be a time for celebration and love, not inadequacy and sadness.  It seems like people either feel stressed out about trying to afford everything they want to give their family, not being able to afford those things, or charging up the credit cards in an attempt to give their families a "good Christmas." 
I have a theory this Christmas: There will always be one more thing you would like to get, one more gift under the tree and Christmas will feel complete.  Or so you think.  But get that last thing and you will remember another thing that would be just perfect.  Or one child's gift cost just a bit less than the other, so you need to spend an equal dollar amount on both while still making sure they have the same number of gifts to open, so you have to buy another, smaller gift for child #1.  It is neverending, if you let it be.  For some reason this bothers me more this Christmas than in Christmases past.  I think it may be because while my children have made their Christmas lists, there are so many big gifts I would like to get them that are not on their lists.  And it would be so easy to talk myself into it.  Like a new swingset that will support my dear son's weight.  That would be so nice in the backyard.  Or a trampoline.  So many fond memories I have from growing up.  But if I were to get everything on their lists and everything on my list for them, not only would I have gone way overboard, but what would be left for next year?  A car?  And then I think how lucky we are to have utilities paid every single month, let alone being able to have Christmas gifts at all.  So many people are not going to have those things this year.  I remember the small amount of charity work I did last year and being concerned about teaching my son to appreciate the things he has and the gifts he gets.  I suppose I will ponder again on this next year. 
Son is struggling with understanding why he does not have every toy he wants and every single toy every other kid he knows has.  He has enough toys and clothes for three kids, yet there is always something he can find that he doesn't have.  How do I stop the cycle and teach him to start appreciating what he has?  Because there are millions of adults who never learned that lesson, and they have billions of dollars in credit card debt to prove it.  This year, I have food to eat, a roof over my head, a husband and two beautiful and healthy children who I would give my life for.  I have things to complain about, tons of things, but I am alive and breathing.  Which is more than some can say.  So this Christmas, please join me in celebrating what you have, don't worry about what you don't.  Stop running around and enjoy your loved ones while you can.  They will be grown up and gone before you know it.  So what if you couldn't get them every single thing you wanted to for Christmas?  I think it is a good lesson to learn that they may not get everything on their list, but they may get some things that were not on their list.  Life doesn't always give you what you want or think you deserve, but you have to make the most of it.  Merry Christmas to all of you.