Christmas Past and Christmas Present

[ThatsMyBarack]

Past: Gifts were dolls, toys, fruitcakes (:puke:), sweaters, and simple things like that.

Present: You see ads huge SUVs and luxury cars with BIG RED BOWS on them. Plus, there are those ads telling us to go out and buy expensive jewelry for that "perfect" gift.

:wtf:

[Frustratedlady]

1. You are on the wrong channel.

Better choose the channels the peons are supposed to watch. The ads you are seeing are for the upper 1%, and don't ya forget that.

We have to stay in our programmed slots, doncha know?

[ThatsMyBarack]

2. "Programmed slots"...

:rofl:

[Captain Angry]

3. You're wrong.

Those ads *are* for the peons.

Those that can afford the jewelry and cars don't need an ad to tell them what to buy.

The ads are there to convince people to go into debt so they can look like they're wealthier than they are.

- Lexus makes less money from a buyer paying cash than one who finances it.
- Visa makes less from a customer who pays the bill off every month than one who has to stretch payments over several months.
- Pawn shops
- Payday loans
- Tax refund loans

- Etc.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. And the gifts I give are still

simple things like you describe. My mother is getting a butternut squash, with directions on how to cook it, because she can't get it at the assisted living place where she lives, and she has a kitchenette where she can do simple cooking.

My brother and sister in law are getting hot pads I made. My great-nieces are getting homemade purses, and my nieces are getting CDs that were copied off the internet with permission of the authors of the CDs. My nephew is getting a quilt, but that's because he's getting married.

My family would think it obscene to spend a lot of money at the holidays.

[gateley]

5. I'm sending gifts to Iraqi service people in my family members' names. THEY can

feel good, I can feel good, and I hope the gifts at least let the recipients know we haven't forgotten, and that we do care.

[bbinacan]

6. What a great idea. n/t

[gateley]

7. It is, isn't it? I believe I saw the suggestion and info here on DU - so many

thanks to whoever posted it! :hi:

[bbinacan]

10. Do you have a link?

My family has decided we don't really need anything. Well except my nephews and niece who always "need" presents.

[gateley]

11. Great! Here's the link:

www.anysoldier.com (There are also links to anysailor.com, anyairman.com, anymarine.com -- so MANY-- TOO many!)

Thanks so much! I'm gratified I spread the word just a bit. And again, thanks to the mystery DUer who initially posted info on this!

When I was much younger, my brother and sister-in-law sent me a nightgown with an illustration of an animal whose species was endangered. The tag stated that proceeds were going to whatever organization it was for animal rights. Maybe you could find acceptable presents for your niece and nephew off of sites that "do good stuff" -

[LWolf]

8. Mine are, too.

I'm scrambling a little for simple gifts that I haven't ALREADY given at some point, but they will all be modest.

My mother, the coffee lover, is getting a bag of fair trade organic beans.

My oldest son, the musician, is getting a music trivia game.

My younger son, the aspiring writer, is getting a couple of books about writing fiction.

Everyone else except for my grandson is getting a card.

My grandson, I'll admit, is getting numerous toys, books, games, and a couple of dvds. That's the haul from the whole family, though, not just from me, and none of them are pricey.

My sons asked me to make a list of things I'd like to get. My list: a haircut, a Barnes and Noble gift certificate, a new teapot, some windchimes, some herbal soap, or a new pillow.

All simple things that bring much pleasure.

[Greyhound]

9. I just canceled it all together. Friends and family get an annual notice that,

due to lack of tolerance for corporate bullshit, we will celebrate our holiday on a day of our choosing, sometime after the first of the year.

[SoCalDem]

12. Got struggling elders in your family?

A friend of mine "snoops" and copies down their account numbers on their utility bills and "prepays" some money on their accounts for their birthdays and Christmas.

They are usually too proud to ask, and money given to them often ended up "re-gifted" to the kids from that elder, in the form of birthday gifts & Xmas..so she outsmarted them and paid a bill for them :)

She has also refilled the pantry or picked up and paid for a prescription..