Materialism

                I agree with the second writer. The holiday season is not too materialistic. Most people express their love on Christmas or any other holiday by giving gifts. I feel that giving a gift to any child or adult, who has never received a gift on Christmas will benefit them greatly. I donate a gift every Christmas to whoever may need it. By donating, I hopefully made a child smile, and for me that feels very good. In the past, I didn’t receive many toys on Christmas. At the most, I received one or two a year. When I was given a present it made me feel happy, and full of joy.

                On the holidays, my family usually buys all gifts in advance. My parents and my older sister take turns every year buying presents. They don’t buy massive amounts of toys, but they buy what they can afford. Sometimes present buying becomes very hectic, because of my parent’s and sister’s budget. I step in and help with the shopping too. My older brothers have children of their own, so they usually buy presents for our mom and dad. My in-laws have a better plan for buying presents.  They buy everything well in advance, and they have a Christmas jar that they put money into. When Christmas is near they use the money they have collected for presents. My friends deal with present buying way worse. Due to their busy schedules, they only have time to buy presents three or four days before Christmas. For them, the holiday season is sometimes stressful and hectic.

                The holiday season is a very hectic season. Buying presents for your loved ones is something to look forward to every year. Buying presents should be an enjoyable thing to do. Giving your loved ones presents will always make them smile, and will show them that you care.

Opinions

Opinions

Growing up in Madera, California, most people drove small cars instead of trucks.  My wife is from Oakhurst, California, near Yosemite National Park. In Oakhurst and the surrounding small country towns, most people drive four wheel drive trucks. I always thought that owning a small car was better than a large truck.

The landscape that she grew up in was a perfect climate to own a truck. It was in the mountains, and the terrain up north is perfect. In the winter it snows a lot, and makes it difficult to drive a small car anywhere. In the summer, camping is a popular activity. Most places where the locals choose to camp, the terrain is too rugged for a car to get there. Although I grew up in a town only an hour away from her, the climate and terrain were very different. Madera mainly consists of flat land, and does not get snow in the winter. Owning a truck in that area seemed to be foolish to me. It cost more money to fill up a gas tank in a truck compared to a small car, and small cars are easier to maneuver. For a long time my wife and I only had a small car. Throughout that time we have been put in a lot of different situations where we needed a truck. When we were moving, there was no way to haul our furniture. We frequently took trips to her hometown to visit, and weren’t able to go camping because our car would not make it up the roads. We were not able to buy furniture for our new apartment because it would not fit in the car. Also, there was not enough room in our car for all our friends and family to ride with us. These situations made me reconsider my choice of vehicle. 

About two months ago, I decided to purchase a four wheel drive truck. We are both very happy, and it has been very useful to us. In my opinion, it is worth the extra gas money, and has gotten easier to maneuver. My opinion has changed about trucks. Now I think owning a truck is better than a car.

Quick Food

Quick Food

          Everyone has a different opinion about eating fast food. There are people who eat it often, and some people that refuse to eat it at all. At almost every street corner in the city you will find a McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, etc. On television fast food commercials appear constantly, trying to lure in customers. They persuade everyone to eat their food by advertising low prices, exaggerated features, and convenience.

Fast food was a big part of my childhood. My parents regularly treated us to Burger King or any other fast food restaurant. My brother and I always walked to Burger King after school, and ordered some delicious chicken nuggets. When my parents were out working, our older sister babysat us. She wasn’t overall a good cook, but she tried. Most of the time she was too lazy to attempt to cook, so she bought us lunch from a fast food place. We lived extremely close to Burger King, so we ate there often. When I visited my cousins, they always had KFC buckets every Saturday, and they really enjoyed eating fast food. On occasion my mom bought us a burger or two once a month. She preferred to cook a homemade meal, because it was healthier for us. My father, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic about fast food. He loved fast food because it was quick and painless. One time my mom had to go to México for a family emergency, so my dad had to take care of us. He decided to feed us McDonald’s cheese burgers the whole time. I was glad that my mom was only gone for a week. Eating cheese burgers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was disgusting. After that event I stopped consuming fast food for months.

            In the past I truly believed that fast food was healthy, because of the vegetables in the hamburgers. Now, I know that it is very unhealthy, but I still keep on eating it. I keep on eating fast food, because it’s very convenient. It is much easier to just drive through and quickly pay for your whole dinner, rather than cook it. These days most of us don’t have a lot of time during the day, and I believe that is why fast food is very popular. I decide to eat fast food when I have a short lunch break. I rely on fast food on some occasions, but I know it is not good for me to eat.

            In the future I hope to fight the urge to go through a drive through, and spare the time to cook a homemade meal more often. I have consumed a lot of fast food during my childhood, and would like to change my habits. Now I am lucky to have a wife that is a great cook, and often cooks delicious homemade dinners. But during those times when there is not enough time, and we are on the run, fast food is always there for our convenience.