Magic is gone I used to love Christmas. The Christmas tree brought into the living room a few days before Dec. 25, the opening of the box full of ornaments used year after year was magical. Time to reminisce on Christmas past. Store windows were decorated for only a couple of weeks before the so-much-anticipated day. There seemed to be more intensity in the air. I am speaking of a time long gone. For me, the magic does not exist anymore. Christmas has been manipulated. It has become a commercial venture. Last year on Sept. 17, a Christmas tree was being decorated in one department store in my neighborhood. When I asked why, I was told it takes two months to decorate a tree. Before Thanksgiving had happened this year, Christmas decorations were everywhere. What have we done? Do most people know why they are celebrating Christmas? Why do we see this time of year as stressful? We are the victims of what we have created: a world that never has enough, a mentality that judges everything by a dollar sign, a way of life made of quick fixes that can be bought with presents. I welcome the holiday season as a time to reflect on life, something that no money can buy. Monique Frugier http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/special_packages/community_voices/main_line/4796191.htm