It's almost Christmas!

What do you think of when you think of Christmas? I think of Christmas cake. (Ha, ha.)

I looked into whether Christmas means different things to different generations. Please read on if you have any interest.

First off, I asked kids through high school what Christmas brings to mind for them.

The results:

• fun
• gaiety and cheer
• Santa
• presents
• time spent with family
• time spent with girlfriend
• part-time jobs...

They're all heartwarming answers, aren't they? Receiving presents from Santa naturally seems to be a big deal for kids. I think wanting to spend Christmas with your family or girlfriend is a wonderful thing. And to the person who gave the last response, I'd like to offer some encouragement. Hang in there!

Now, how do people in college through those in the work force (my parents' generation) view Christmas?

• time spent with family
• time spent with girlfriend or wife

People of this generation, like the younger generation, want to spend time with their loved ones. But they also gave responses that only grown-ups could, saying Christmas brings to mind:

• economic stimulation
• increase in sales

I'm sure that this is prime earning time for a lot of people. Good luck!

As you can see, in contrast to children, adults tend to see the economic effects of Christmas in addition to the idea that it's a day to be treasured.

Now, for even an older generation, the grandfathers and grandmothers, Christmas brings to mind:

• time spent with family

This was the most common response from this generation. Other answers included memories of receiving chocolate at church or watching "kamishibai" picture shows when they were children, and recollections of there being more of a religious emphasis on the holiday.

My investigation showed that "spending time with loved ones" was a common thread running through all generations when they think of Christmas. I also learned that adults see the economic effects of Christmas, and that the holiday held more religious significance in the past, but the tradition of exchanging presents hasn't changed.

What did you think? Hope my essay was at least a good way to kill time. Thanks for reading.