I'm tired of the commercialism of Christmas. The more advertisements I see, the more STUFF I see that I will never want, and certainly never need. Yesterday was the infamous "Black Friday". Guess what? I didn't shop. It was my formal screw-you-big-box-stores, you-can-shove-it day. I am trying hard to support small local businesses whenever I can. I HATE the fact that the big-box-stores are opening ON THANKSGIVING. That is ridiculous. NOBODY should be open Thanksgiving. They deserve to be at home with their families (oops, unless they WANT to be working instead of being with their family which I can relate to this year). Early morning openings and opening Thanksgiving evening/day is absurd.
There was a news article about one family who celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday, so they could shop on Thursday. OH THE INSANITY!
I remember back in the day when you had to carefully plan how much gas you had in your car to get to and fro because EVERY STORE was closed on Thanksgiving day. Remember that? What happened to those days? It's gotten all commercial. Every company is competing for your dollar. I am all for healthy competition, but a line has to be drawn. Next thing you know, they will be open on Christmas so you can exchange the gifts you didn't want right after you open them.
I'm not saying to get rid of Christmas. It's just so different these days. It's lost a lot of its magic and sparkle for me. Maybe I'll get it back, but it's going to take a whole lot of holiday eggnog to find it.
In my family, we create wish lists, so that parents have a clue as to the items both of us might want. That works out well, so we get some things that we can put to use. It sure as hell beats having a basement full of Hallmark crap I never use to decorate because I don't have a place to sit out shelf-sitters. My shelves are full. I'm tired of having stuff to SIT SOMEWHERE SO I CAN THEN LOOK AT THE DUST AS IT ACCUMULATES. Because I don't dust. I do think about dusting. But then it never happens. A nice clean shelf would be so easy to dust, vs. a bunch of breakable crap I have to move carefully. I say that, but then I have some breakable crap I really love. It's a dilemma.
Other things we always add to our wish list are food items. We could never ever have enough bacon. There are so many wonderful brands of bacon out there. We love Farmland and missed it when we were out West. There are so many other wonderful brands and flavors. Marvelous apple-wood smoked, maple cured, or thick cut bacon. We've even had garlic studded bacon before and it was great. We always, always love seafood! And red wine. Really, how can you go wrong with something you eat? You eat, you take a few pictures, you think of the person who sent it, you have a great meal/snack/drink, and then viola! It's gone. Nothing to dust!
People spend too much money buying gifts for others. I can't comprehend going into debt to buy gifts for Christmas. I know some people do it, and I just don't understand the mentality. I will never get it. You know what I'd really like? Something hand made. Something homemade because I know that person thought about me when they made it. They took the time to think about something they thought I'd like, and got the materials, and made a plan. They thought about me. Maybe it's cookies baked at home, or something they crafted, or a picture they painted or printed and framed, or even a special home cooked meal would be wonderful.
I know this is really wild and wacky, but if I influenced someone to donate blood, how awesome would that be? Donating blood is so important this time of year. There is nothing else you could give that would mean more to others.
I've got tons of craft ideas swimming around in my head that I'm about to start making. A lot of my friends are going to be receiving handmade gifts. I'm a little worried about how some of them will turn out, but hey, at least I will be thinking about them when I make them! I'm dialing back how much we are spending this year. Sorry friends, we're not going all out this year, but I do promise to put thought into your gifts.
I will share some of my craft projects here after Christmas. I actually made one project this past summer outside when I had supplies readily available, and I am super excited to share that idea with you. After Christmas.
So who else is making homemade gifts for Christmas or dialing back how much you're spending?!
3 comments:
The stores opening on Thanksgiving is RIDICULOUS! I wish no one showed up that night to show the Big Boxers that it was pointless but I know that didn't happen.
Aside from the over-commericialism, I also don't like how we start getting bombarded with Xmas shit in early October. REALLY?
I do remember when you had to have your shopping done before the holiday. If you forgot green beans for your green bean casserole, then you just had mushroom soup with crunchy onions b/c there wasn't a place open on the holiday. Which is how it should be. No one, for any reason, needs to be working retail on a holiday.
Does that mean I should return all the Hallmark decorations I bought for your gifts this year? :)
I love the idea of handmade gifts. I have no talent to do them myself but I have always LOVED yours.
Teehee, you know us so well, I'm sure if you got us anything at Hallmark, I'd probably love it completely.
It's the Christmas music they play early that kills me too. I was in Kohls in early November, and the music made me shop fast to leave quickly. I didn't even have my Halloween decorations down yet!
Pfft. We have an ice cream truck that drives around during the summer playing Christmas music. You two don't know how easy you got it! *shakes cane at you*
I will say that when I was a Jehovah's Witness, I didn't give a hoot whether I worked the holidays or not. I think if you don't celebrate them, it makes no nevermind and you enjoy the extra pay you get. However, it's not like all those folks working at WalMart are there on Thanksgiving because their dumb-ass religion doesn't allow them to eat turkey with their families.
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