Marty:: Are you all ready for Christmas?
Jack: Are you kidding? I haven't even started. I've done zero shopping.
Marty: Well, you'd better getting going, Christmas is only a week away..
Jack: I have to tell you that I'm one of those people who really gets stressed out by the Christmas rush.
Marty: Oh, I'm not. I love the holidays. I love the crowds, the shopping, the lights, the music, the food, the parties, all the presents..
Jack: That's just the beginning. My wife always spends too much money on Christmas. The average Christmas expense for U.S. families is about $550. But somehow we always spend about twice that much. It takes me till April to pay off all our Christmas bills.
Marty: Now now, let's not be an Ebeneezer Scrooge (吝啬鬼)about it, Jack. Think about your kids. Didn't you use to love Christmas when you were a kid?
Jack: I guess so. I don't remember.
Marty: I know you did. You've actually forgotten your childhood memories. You were the most excited kid in the whole class. I remember . you know Jack, maybe Christmas is for kids, but you can still enjoy it through the eyes of your children.
Jack: Well, kids enjoy it because they don't have to do all the shopping and pay all the bills.
Marty: Maybe that's true. But you now as well as I do, that Christmas is more than tinsel and trees. Christmas is about what's in your heart and how you can make others happy.
Jack: You're right, Marty. You're absolutely right. I'm going to try harder to be nice people and to try to keep the true spirit of Christmas in my heart..
Marty: I'm glad to hear that Jack. By the way, do you have your tree up?
Jack: Oh, I hate all the needles that get all over your living room floor. I mean, we're going to get a tree today.
Marty: Have you taken your kids to go see Santa Claus yet?
Jack: If I see anther Santa Claus, I'm gonna scream.
Marty: You're hopeless, Jack
