Xmas farce

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some aspects of Christmas. Coming together for a meal is my highlight.
The thing that bugs me most is that every year I have to sit down and come up with ideas for presents for people who've already got everything they could possibly need.
The other night Rob and I were racking our brains trying to come up with present ideas, when I pointed out how absolutely immoral it all was - there are people in the world who don't have food, water or medicine for their children and here we are trying to figure out if so and so would be happy with a new cookbook or DVD?
My immediate family has at least done something to curb the madness of it all by doing a Secret Santa or Kris Kringle for presents - we all buy something for one other person, so everyone gets one gift.
But it's still crazy, if you ask me, because all this gift buying is done out of obligation, nothing more.
Rob and I feel compelled to buy something for Ari for Christmas, even though he has everything he could possibly need and doesn't know it's even Christmas. Are we a pair of Grinches?
And what really brought it home was getting my first letter from my sponsor child in Rwanda last week.
We are far too rich for our own good in this country.