I stopped by Carson's to pick up my last paycheck. Today also happened to be the store's grand re-opening, which meant it was nearly impossible to find parking and people were packed in the store aisles. The remodeling was complete and all the holiday decor was up (I have to admit it looked nice).

Yet, I couldn't help but cringe at all the stuff for sale. Stuff we don't need. Stuff people give each other as gifts for the holidays and stash away in the closet for years. Stuff that costs money we don't need to spend. Stuff that doesn't hold any meaningful value. Stuff that we get at the last-minute because we don't put much thought into what a person really wants. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff.

I'm so glad I made the decision not to purchase gifts this time around. I have a feeling this will be one of the most rewarding holiday seasons I've ever had...

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a year ago: improvement.