To all you Neo-Roundheads on the blog who have been decrying Christmas consumerism, take this: According to this storyin the infallible New York Times, “psychologists say it is often the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest psychological gains from a gift.” In other words, the flip side of all this getting is giving, which makes us feel good. And it’s all about us, right? So while I’m at it, I must admit to feeling pretty good about myself for taking advantage of Commonweal’s boffo two-for-onegift subscription deal. Buy one gift subscription, get another FREE! Send them to a couple of rectories. Priests don’t need more lay people yammering at them. They need a nice bottle of wine and a Commonweal to curl up with—alone. (The wine deal is in the works, I’m told.) What’s more, you get to support a great magazine (and blog) that is facingchallenges (thanks to the US Postal Service) and yet is never more needed in today’s church. If only as an antidote to knee-jerks like me. Thirty-nine bucks, and all the self-esteem and Christmas joy you could want. No malls. No debt. Not bad.