What is the significance of Ask Wednesday?

"Ask Wednesday" is the latest in a string of named days around the time of Thanksgiving that relate to Christmas shopping. Here's what we have so far:

Black Friday: Line up at 4 in the morning to elbow your way to that new 196-inch TV for $15.

Small Business Saturday: The big-box stores are picked over; what about that little boutique with the organic, fair-trade, gluten-free webcams?

Cyber Monday: As soon as you get to work, you remember what you forgot. Turn your computer monitor away from your boss's office and hit Amazon when no one's looking.

Giving Tuesday: Feeling guilty for spending so much on gifts? Pay penance by donating to your favorite non-profit!

Ask Wednesday: The day the kids show up with their wish lists. You tell them you're done shopping, and they tell you they wanted to ask you last Wednesday but you were too busy thawing the turkey. They're right, you know. Check and see if that llama pinata is on a Prime Deal.

The remainder of the year is spent in a steady state of indulgence. Christmas parties, gifts, family, meals, New Year's Eve parties, and Hallmark movies. It's enough to make you a little sick. There is relief in sight, however. In just a few months, you can practice Lent, the time before Easter when liturgical Christians practice self-denial, moderation, and fasting. So, buy that Transformers weighted blanket for the kid and hold on; soon it will be Ash Wednesday.

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