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Welcome to our Christmas 2007 Page.

What is wrong with this picture??--->

Somewhere out there someone's staring at their monitor and wondering just what are we talking about?

If this describes you, don't feel too bad. 3 OUT OF 10 ADULTS at the bus stop near our house to whom we showed this picture, couldn't see anything wrong with it! (We did only let them see it for 3 seconds).

Christmas has become one of the most outrageous manifestations of consumerism in our society. The frenzied last minute drive through lousy weather to a huge mall, the search and destroy parking scramble, the long lines, the questioning of finances, the agony of decision, just to load up on Chinese plastic junk to buy to make people feel like you love them or haven't forgotten them...this is a celebration?

Christmas should be Family, Friends, Food and Festivities

not credit, consumerism, crap and compulsion.

If you insist on giving things;

Food from epicurean to basic makes the best Christmas gift. It is totally useful, leaves little residue, requires no accessories and often is not taxable.

Start now building food baskets of items that are available in your local market. If you start early and plan, you can create great gifts for little money and produce something that is sure to be appreciated.

Meanwhile, here's some things that one can do to break the Christmas Commercial Obligation Cycle.

That old aunt of yours would probably rather see you and the kids for a even a couple of hours than get the nicest, slickest card or more knick knacks in the mail.

If you really have guts, put the TV away in the garage until January 1. Consider visiting a nearby rest home with some friends. Bring simple little things or chocolates. These old folks will really appreciate it.

Children will learn more about giving and charity and appreciate what they have during this visit than a month spent in a mall.

How about a Fifty dollar Christmas? Each family member writes their name on a piece of paper with a gift that they wish for. Everyone draws the name of someone else without revealing who has what name. That person then is the only one to buy a gift for the person whose name they have drawn, with a limit of say, fifty dollars. Conversely, no one receives gifts from more than one person because they only have their name and desired gift on one piece of paper. The gifts can be given anonymously or not , but the bottom line is that no one person spends more than fifty dollars at Christmas and no one causes more than this amount to be spent by the entire family.  Warning:Warning:Warning: This does not work where there are small children involved. Treat them as you normally would.

New use for Christmas light inserts! Some make great tool racks.

Create a Local Merchant Resource list.

Think of the small locally owned stores in your area where you have received excellent service and bought great products. (We're sorry if you have no stores like this). Many of them are probably struggling to survive and may be gone soon. They can't afford advertising and may be located in out-of-the-way corners of town. Here's how we help them. We list them with a brief description, phone number and hours, print copies and carry them with us.

We give one to people that have just moved into the area or are visiting from out of town. This helps the local businesses, gives newcomers the benefit of our experience and helps to keep the chain stores away. What would you rather have? Such a list offered to you by your new neighbors or a piece of slick junk-advertising addressed to "occupant"?

 

The other attack on Christmas by the powers-that-be is to ignore it completely: "Happy Kwanznukkah" is the new cry.

Shouting "Merry Christmas" in a public place is tantamount to a hate crime these days....

Here's an entire web site about the attack on the major holiday of the folks that founded this country of ours:

http://www.vdare.com/piatak/christmas_2003_x.htm

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IMITATION IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY: You saw the picture of Santa crucified on the top of our page? Here's a guy that put on up in his front yard!

 http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071222/D8TMNKC00.html

""Santa on Cross Protests Commercialism

Dec 22, 3:54 PM (ET)

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) - Art Conrad has an issue with the commercialism of Christmas, and his protest has gone way beyond just shunning the malls or turning off his television. The Bremerton resident nailed Santa Claus to a 15-foot crucifix in front of his house.

"Santa has been perverted from who he started out to be," Conrad said. "Now he's the person being used by corporations to get us to buy more stuff."

A photo of the crucified Santa adorns his Christmas cards, with the message "Santa died for your MasterCard."

 

Which mall would Jesus shop in? http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed_notebook_1219dec19,0,6019121.story BY SUSAN DIESENHOUSE December 19, 2007 "Area adds most retail space ever Pace is less than expected as Wal-Mart pulls back on development of stores and capital markets problems make potential tenants jittery There was a record 8.4 million square feet of new retail development built in metropolitan Chicago in 2007, according to a survey to be released early next year by Mid-America Real Estate Corp. of Oakbrook Terrace. That space, which includes the construction of new retail developments and the expansion of existing ones, beat the previous record of 6.8 million square feet, set in 1994. Last year 6 million square feet was added."

http://www.ky3.com/news/local/11913886.html

"SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Missouri State University took down a 20-foot Christmas tree after a diversity official reported a complaint that it was insensitive to other religions.

As a result, Missouri State officials are meeting tomorrow to discuss appropriate holiday decorations. The 20-foot artificial tree was taken down Monday. The co-chair

of the president's diversity commission said a Jewish faculty member complained the tree showed "a lack of sensitivity" to those of other religions."

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