Banjo Christmas Sales Too Early
Does it drive you up the proverbial wall when retailers fill their stores with Christmas stuff long before Christmas? Then you are much like my wife Angie. Stores need to get ahead on Christmas sales, especially with the current economic downturn, and when you consider that Christmas sales may be the biggest part of what they do all year, it's understandable the way they develop their sales pitch early. I respect their need to do that and it doesn't really bother me too much. But it drives my wife Angie crazy. She will grab early Christmas ads up and post them to the refrigerator door as a reminder not to buy a Christmas gift from that retailer. It sounds a little intolerant, I know. But here is what she said to me.
"Shopping seems to be the only thing we think about at Christmas these days. Shopping is necessary, and is a big part of Christmas, but it shouldn't be the main part. We should be thinking more about the giving than the shopping. Retailers should think some about that too. If they come out with all their Christmas stuff two months before Christmas, Santa stations with elves set up, long lines of children waiting to tell Santa all they want for Christmas, with all the bump and tug, it puts too much emphasis on buying and selling.
"Names are drawn and Christmas gifts are bought, not just for the kids, but for everyone, presents are wrapped, stockings are hung, all this hustle and bustle and commercialization of the season seem a far cry from the simple idea of being together as a family or with friends just to count our blessings. All this flim-flam about trees, and presents, and Santa Claus tends to obscure the marvelous truth about what each person has in his or her own heart and expresses as the gifts of spirit, sharing and warmth. Instead, it's nothing but beggars beg and spenders spend, drinkers drink and vendors vend, or something like that-however that ancient rhyme goes.
"The day after Christmas there's even more shopping, all the stores have after Christmas sales with everyone charging into the stores to exchange or return many of the Christmas gifts sent to them by people who really didn't know what they wanted or didn't have the time or money to get what they wanted. Think about it, what a refreshing thing it would be to take away much of the emphasis placed on getting Christmas gifts and look at the truth of what Christmas should be. With a fresh start, we could then add Christmas gift giving that stems from real feeling, beginning with thinking about God's gift. I know you agree with me Walker, don't you?"
I didn't answer. I can understand my wife Angie's point of view, and I've learned not to argue a point about which she feels strongly, or any other point come to think of it. Having said that, I see no harm in offering advice to people like me who sometimes neglect Christmas gift shopping until Christmas Eve. It's just a reminder, it's not like we're being sold anything, at least not at that time. We all know that stores must sell Christmas trees, lights, ornaments and other Christmas stuff-if they would just not begin the process until after Thanksgiving dinner is served.
But these same places sell all kinds of stuff throughout the year that people will be buying daily, not just as Christmas gifts, whether it's before, during or in some cases after the Christmas season. And I don't see anything wrong with them telling people not to forget that Christmas is only two or three months away so don't forget. I don't mind getting those reminders at all, but not my wife Angie. She'll grab one up, and on the frig it goes, faster than a mantis can bite off the head of her mate.
I know my wife Angie will likely be reading this at some time or another, and, just as I've learned not to argue a point with her, I've learned just as well to apologize in advance when I take another view that is different from hers. So here I am, kind of disagreeing and sort of apologizing all in one whack, and I'm not sure I can get by with either, much less both. - 18762
"Shopping seems to be the only thing we think about at Christmas these days. Shopping is necessary, and is a big part of Christmas, but it shouldn't be the main part. We should be thinking more about the giving than the shopping. Retailers should think some about that too. If they come out with all their Christmas stuff two months before Christmas, Santa stations with elves set up, long lines of children waiting to tell Santa all they want for Christmas, with all the bump and tug, it puts too much emphasis on buying and selling.
"Names are drawn and Christmas gifts are bought, not just for the kids, but for everyone, presents are wrapped, stockings are hung, all this hustle and bustle and commercialization of the season seem a far cry from the simple idea of being together as a family or with friends just to count our blessings. All this flim-flam about trees, and presents, and Santa Claus tends to obscure the marvelous truth about what each person has in his or her own heart and expresses as the gifts of spirit, sharing and warmth. Instead, it's nothing but beggars beg and spenders spend, drinkers drink and vendors vend, or something like that-however that ancient rhyme goes.
"The day after Christmas there's even more shopping, all the stores have after Christmas sales with everyone charging into the stores to exchange or return many of the Christmas gifts sent to them by people who really didn't know what they wanted or didn't have the time or money to get what they wanted. Think about it, what a refreshing thing it would be to take away much of the emphasis placed on getting Christmas gifts and look at the truth of what Christmas should be. With a fresh start, we could then add Christmas gift giving that stems from real feeling, beginning with thinking about God's gift. I know you agree with me Walker, don't you?"
I didn't answer. I can understand my wife Angie's point of view, and I've learned not to argue a point about which she feels strongly, or any other point come to think of it. Having said that, I see no harm in offering advice to people like me who sometimes neglect Christmas gift shopping until Christmas Eve. It's just a reminder, it's not like we're being sold anything, at least not at that time. We all know that stores must sell Christmas trees, lights, ornaments and other Christmas stuff-if they would just not begin the process until after Thanksgiving dinner is served.
But these same places sell all kinds of stuff throughout the year that people will be buying daily, not just as Christmas gifts, whether it's before, during or in some cases after the Christmas season. And I don't see anything wrong with them telling people not to forget that Christmas is only two or three months away so don't forget. I don't mind getting those reminders at all, but not my wife Angie. She'll grab one up, and on the frig it goes, faster than a mantis can bite off the head of her mate.
I know my wife Angie will likely be reading this at some time or another, and, just as I've learned not to argue a point with her, I've learned just as well to apologize in advance when I take another view that is different from hers. So here I am, kind of disagreeing and sort of apologizing all in one whack, and I'm not sure I can get by with either, much less both. - 18762
About the Author:
If you'd like to see more about Christmas banjos click here, or visit me at papasboxes.com to see some of those reminders I talked about.
posted by X - Men at
12:33 AM
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