By Chris Cosci

It's the most commercial time of the year! Yes, the Christmas season is upon us, and every store is proudly decorated with Christmas trees, snowflakes, jingle bells, and wreaths. And some stores will have a little menorah lit up in the corner in recognition of people who actually celebrate something other than Christmas.

Although, it really doesn't seem to matter to the stores what holiday you celebrate - it's all about shopping, shopping, shopping! So, ‘tis the season to drive out to the mall.

Going to the mall at Christmastime is a traditional experience that everyone swears they'll never do again. It can be unpleasant. There's the large crowds, the frustration, and the endless searching. Then, when you finally find a parking spot, you actually have to go into the mall.

At this time of year, the mall is filled with hundreds, maybe millions, of crazed shoppers who are probably trying to find the exact same thing you are, and will most likely find it first, for at least half the price that you will pay for it. To make it even more difficult to get from store to store, the mall brings in a couple of dozen extra vendors who open up kiosks in the middle of the hallways. Also, there's always that one long line that seems to wind around throughout half of the mall. I'm of course referring to the line for the ladies' room.

The ultimate goal of shopping at the mall is to find the perfect gift for every member of your family. I think I may have finally figured out the secret to finding the perfect gift for somebody. The trick is to buy something else for them first. If you're like me, whenever you buy a gift for someone, suddenly everything else looks like a perfect gift for them.

For example, this year, my brother was one of the first people I was done shopping for. I bought gifts for him early in the season. Since then, every store I walk into, I'm saying to myself, "Hey, I bet my brother would like that" or "That would be perfect for my brother." This happens every time.

You know what the problem is, though. The holidays have become a season of rushing around. It's exhausting. And, you know what? It shouldn't be. The holidays should be relaxing. This is a time to celebrate and be with our families.

I'm going to cut this Observation short, because I want everyone to just enjoy the holidays. I know Hanukkah is over, but the holiday season is not. Relax and have a restful and peaceful time. Happy Holidays to all!