For most people, the holidays are a time of gifts, fun, and family.

But to Wharton economist Joel Waldfogel, the holidays are celebrated with an "orgy of value destruction."

In his new book Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays, Dr. Waldfogel explains why gift giving is so prone to value destruction -- and how we can make it less of a waste and still enjoy the holidays and gifting.

WalletPop editor-at-large Jason Cochran and I recently spoke with Dr. Waldfogel in a podcast, touching on a wide variety of topics: from crying babies to candy corn to giving cash to drug addicts to regifting.