EMMETT, ID – Danny Morales, a freshman at Phoenix Christian College, recently returned home to Emmett, Idaho for Christmas break—and promptly ruined the holiday for his entire family by suggesting they celebrate Christmas in a non-commercial way.

The Morales, which Danny’s father Victor describes as “a good Christian family,” is used to giving Christmas the usual religious tinge: attending church on Christmas eve, displaying a large lighted plastic crèche on the front lawn, and the like. But Danny’s proposal was “way over the top,” said Victor Morales. “He wanted to make homemade presents and try to make ‘meaningful family connections,’ whatever that means.”

To Danny, it means an evening devoted to board games or assembling a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle of the nativity scene, singing carols around the piano, baking Christmas cookies together, or just spending periods of time together in silent meditation.

“I’m just trying to show my family how the typical Christmas celebration shows the emptiness in our lives, how the relentless commercial forces have sabotaged a beautiful Christian holiday and turned it into a frenzy of spending,” said Danny. “I want a Christmas filled with good food, joyful singing, and creative connections with the people I love. And maybe a nice baby Jesus ornament baked out of clay.”

But it appears Danny was unable to convince his family of the benefits of such a celebration. To a person, they were disappointed with the way their Christmas holiday was shaping up. One particularly sore spot was the gift exchange, which took place two weeks early due to Danny’s busy volunteer schedule in the days leading up to December 25.

Morales’s 10-year old sister Becca was less than enthused with her brother’s new gift-giving morals: “I wanted the Princess Diaries 2 DVD, and all I get was some “Visit the zoo with your brother” coupons? What a Grinch!”

Danny’s mother Lois was distraught over the way her son had “sabotaged” Christmas: “I had bought Danny an Xbox and a couple games for Christmas. But he insisted I donate them to the News Channel 9 toy drive and give him something homemade instead! I didn’t have time to do much, so I just made him a hokey ornament out of baked clay. It was kind of ugly…but it serves him right for being such a hoity-toity.”