Christmas and poker have a lot in common. They’ve both gone through a lot of changes. Poker’s progression has been for the better. Christmas? It’s become a night mare IMHO. The turkey feathers have barely cleared the air when Christmas marketing comes out in full force. Poker is one of the hottest marketing venues out there.

I like poker’s progression; I don’t like the way Christmas has progressed.

I hate the frantic, mind blowing, mass of humanity out filling shopping carts and shoving each other around, to fill their own personal need of giving, that goes on at this time of year. Why does it have to come down this way? Because of a traditional gift of giving? Pretty lame reason IMHO. Too many people spend too much money trying to create a one day a year happy holiday and that only escalates the situation for each coming year.

I rarely give gifts at Christmas, usually reserving something simple for my grandchildren, like cash to the older ones and a few small toys to the younger ones, nothing to my children or siblings, because I more enjoy the feeling that the gift of giving should be done all year long and from the heart, not because society or guilt dictates that I do it on December 25th.

One area where poker and Christmas part similarities is that poker is an every day event…thank you, God!

Far be it from this little granny to tell anyone how they should spend their money and their energy, especially when it relates to holidays and family, but stop to consider that a smile, sharing a moment, reaching out with kindness and not expecting something in return, is what gift giving is all about – again IMHO – and in closing, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, all year long.

And I hope to see you at the poker table ALL YEAR LONG!