Hate this time of year

This is supposed to be a happy time of year. I think it's all phony. It has become all commercialized. And what's really bad is my wife loves this time of year and loves to buy gifts for everyone, yet we don't have the money to spend on people. With her it's always "They spend this much on us so we need to spend the same" or "They helped us out during the year so we need to get them something really nice". Well we thanked them during the year already, why do we need to do it again? And why do we have to match dollar for dollar on gifts. Isn't it supposed to be the thought that counts? No matter how I tell her and she says she understands, she still goes off and buys things. And I am not talking just gifts. Nik-naks. We have so much crap in the basement that never comes out that if I throw it out after the holidays she would never know. I just may end up doing that.