Christmas has become a complete religious/commercial mashup. From post-Thanksgiving “Black Friday” on, it seems we’re in a virtual orgy of materialism. But the Salvation Army bell ringers I’ve seen in front of Kroger over the last few weeks remind me that Yuletide highlights the spirit of generosity and a specific kind of gift giving that flows from it -- namely, charitable sharing. The surfeit of stuff that clutters most Americans’ lives today can mask the reality that there are people in need. Sometimes need results from bad decisions, profligate spending, and excessive debt, to which at least part of that stuff may attest. What gets called poverty often turns out to be mostly wastefulness. In other words, just being broke. A modicum of self-discipline relieves a surprising amount of financial stress, and sets you on the road to fiscal recovery. But this isn’t always the situation, not by any means. People can (and do) hit...(Read Full Article)