“Very little is needed to make a happy life.” ~Marcus Aurelius Today’s quote sounds like a slap in the face of Christmas commercialism, right? Marcus Aurelius was a Roman ruler and stoic philosopher who believed people didn’t need an excess of bright and shiny things to find satisfaction in life. And while his frugal philosophy looks good in print, it’s not as easy to practice when you’re wandering the aisles of any department store during the winter holidays. No matter how deeply you respect its religious origins, Christmas in our country is tightly tied to buying stuff. Lots of stuff. Watch any Christmas commercial on TV, and you’ll see troops…