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This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
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brendastarlet is on it
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
I have told my family members I want one present this year: a 32-inch flat screen. (They apparently don't come much smaller, and I have no space for a bigger one.) I already found it at Target, so I am happy to receive Target gift cards, or cash, which I will accumulate and put towards it.

They probably won't listen, but I have stated my goal.
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BytheSea
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Christ didn't have a Christmas tree because he wasn't a 5th century German tribesman.
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krismry
11/17/08

@Shamrockette: It is so strange when this all ends, the lights are out for ever, the olds are gone, then you miss them. This is the time of year we supposed to have mercy on everyone who doesn't know any better. Haha.
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rednrowdy
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
a very close family member is about to enter a nursing home due to advanced alzheimer's before thanksgiving. so yeah, everything in perspective.

keep it small, enjoy it all.
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Etoiles
11/17/08

@rednrowdy: My sympathies and empathy. We lost one of my grandfathers to Alzheimer's and Christmas (200...3?) was the last time I saw him. It's a rotten thing for a family to go through.
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brendastarlet is on it
11/17/08

@EtoilePB: I'm so sorry. Remember there's always a chance they know you're there so don't stop visiting. And it's just as hard for them as it is for you.
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Shamrockette
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
I wish my family wouldn't go all out for Christmas. It's like, ornaments everywhere, lights everywhere, every square inch of our front yard is covered in lights, you name it.

We spend several hundreds of dollars each year just for lights alone.

Ugh.
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Ratinski
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Also, I have to admit that even though I end up doing less and less of it every year, I really love the idea of Christmas decorating. Every year I think about getting a fake tree in the after Christmas sales, and every year I don't do it because I don't have the storage space. But around this time I start having thoughts of glass balls and lights and popcorn strings again, even though I go to Illinois for Christmas and the cat would knock the tree down while I was gone.

I do bake something every year though. I can't do Christmas without it. We really need a Christmas baking thread, in which we rhapsodize over fudge and peanut brittle and gingerbread and my Mom's awesome ambrosia balls.
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JustZoot
11/17/08

@Ratinski: great idea! Editors? Can we have a holiday cookie recipe thread?
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brendastarlet is on it
11/17/08

@JustZoot: yes, please! I will be happy to share my family recipes for rum balls and church windows. (As opposed to church keys.)
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dirtybee
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
I just bought a house last month, and I told mom straight up that Santa was gonna be skinny this year, because I can barely afford to feed myself.

That being said, only a handful of people are getting gifts from me (Last year I handed out gifts to my aunts, uncles, cousins, their kids, etc) and all presents are coming from Ross.
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hellosunshine
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Thankfully, my parents have both said "don't go overboard this year" because they're not getting me lots of presents either. My mama, however, believes that there should be tons under the tree, so I think I need to nix that in the bud now, as in, I JUST want this pair of boots and lots of your cookies. Boyfriend, on the other hand, seems to think I am made of money, as I bought him an awesome gift for his birthday last week and now wants something else expensive and rare. Hell to the no, buddy.
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raspberryjamba
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
YES! This is exactly what this country needs to end this stupid imaginary crisis where imaginar billions of dollars were lost and that gives an excuse for multi billionaires to part thousands of people with their VERY REAL paychecks. Let's stop pretending this is a REAL crisis. It's really the biggest Get Out Of Jail Free card ever given to the rich. There is no shortage of food, or clothing, or housing, or heating. There is NO REAL CRISIS, except that one IMAGINARY line that drops on a website where the IMAGINARY money has been lost.

Every time I read an article about someone who HAS NOT lost their job taking back their spending because of "solidarity", I think HOW STUPID ARE THESE PEOPLE!!!??? Don't they see their are taking an imaginary and turning it into a real one by scaling down their spending!!??

JESUS CHRIST.
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tscheese
11/17/08

@raspberryjamba: Okay, I'm still completely spending a grand or more on consumer electronics, but only because I'm probably buying myself a new MacBook if I get a bonus.

Everyone: It still helps even if you're The Grinch and just buy shit for yourself!

Signed,

The Grinch who is Only Buying Things For Herself.
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labeled
11/17/08

@raspberryjamba: You make an excellent point.
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labeled
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Aww, hey now, surely Obama didn't really need the twenties I was tossing out like candy at a parade every time I got tipsy and near the computer a few weeks ago, right?

But I did it anyway, because it was being *part* of something, in a relatively painless way. Really, maybe a $10 ornament for Uncle Joe and Aunt Pat is just saying "Yeah, economy, fuck you! I'm still part of this & can make someone smile."

But I'm also anti-credit card, so the larger issue of consumer debt is a whole 'nuther animal.
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Aesop's Foibles. YES.
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Whot??? Does no one else watch 24 hours of "A Christmas Story"????? Surely, y'all jest. That movie IS Christmas, man. At my parents' house, we had it on for the full 24 hrs and when the last one was over, we were all sad. Also sad that we're not doing too much gifting this year, but everyone's broke including myself. Me and hubs-to-be just opened a business, so nothing for us. Except lotsa tipsy Christmas nookie. Which, actually, is enough for me;) Definitely buying gifts for the dog, though. He's spoiled.
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ObtuseIntolerant
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Such a great topic!!

I already explained to my daughter that Santa's business, too, was going to be affected by the economy.

So the kids will get less of a ton of stuff than usual (they used to get so much that they get BORED opening gifts, it was bad) just one or two nicer, more "important" things.

The adults among us have decided to have a Commie Christmas. Everyone chips in, there will be a budget for each person, and then we'll figure out as a group what each person wants/needs the most (but try to keep it a surprise)...

So no more little cute things that are really cool but basically unnecessary...we're going to get "bigger" presents, but just one or two each per person, and it will be something of enduring quality.

We did this experimentally last year, getting my poorest sis an out-of-reach iPod (more expensive than what we'd usually do), and she has still not recovered from the thrill. That was way fun.

I can't wait!!

...and I SWEAR this year we are really going to volunteer around the holidays; and we're going to clean all the junk we don't wear/play with and give it away.
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rollergirl76
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
For all you peeps baking for the holidays. These cookies are ridiculously good.

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe
[www.neimanmarcus.com]
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hfree
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
I have been thoroughly weirded out by how quickly the Christmas stuff came out this year. Sure I expect the back of Target to go green and red the minute Halloween is over, but the mall and downtown lamp posts? Santa has been on duty at my local mall since Halloween weekend! That's insane.

But on whether or not we need Christmas decorations, if my house were to burn down I think the Christmas decorations would be the things I missed the most. There is such a special relationship with those ornaments because of the memories associated with them, from the ornaments themselves to the boxes we store them in (my grandfather's army trunks from WWII).
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Ratinski
11/17/08

@hfree: I know! I went into the mall a couple of weeks ago and went "Santa is here already? REALLY?" It just seemed way too early.
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blueVamp
11/17/08

@hfree: @Ratinski: I think they're trying to cheer everyone up! I work in digital advertising and we just started tracking holiday related items inputted into search engines... Hopefully the cheer will last!
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hfree
11/17/08

@blueVamp: It's entirely possible, I just found it rather sinister. I like my holidays one at a time.
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squirrelcop
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Our family decided a few years ago to only exchange "closet" gifts (if we exchange gifts at all). This means cleaning out your cabinets, closets, attic, etc. and re-gifting something useful or cool that you yourself no longer use or have space for. It's worked out very well.

If only I could convince the in-law portion of our family to try this. C'mon, in-laws, recycling FTW!
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spartachick
11/17/08

In reply to This Year, Does Christmas Seem Like A Waste Of Money?
Seeing this article, I couldn't help but sing the Frankenmuth commercial jingle in my head: "Say hello to Chrstimas! Say hello to Frankenmuth!"
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brendastarlet is on it
11/17/08

@spartachick: now you'll have me singing it. AM radio much?
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