I mean I'm a Scrooge in a "bah humbug!" kind of way. Especially after shopping on Saturday at a few big box stores. Yikes, the parking lots were full, people were cranky, and there was a general air of too much consumption everywhere. It is almost like a disease- you see all these pretty things, which, before you weren't sick, you didn't need, but you start to feel a cold coming on and a desire to have the beautifully decorated house with singing Santas, and oodles of bows and ribbons and glitter, and fake holly! And before you know it you are grabbing at chocolates and crystal wear, and expensive electronic items along with everyone else!!! Ok, it wasn't that bad at all, it is just what I am afraid of, and the amount of money being spent on one day a year just makes me sick sometimes. Sure we saved a lot of money shopping at the big box stores, but sometimes I am not sure it is worth it. I came home and ordered several gifts online (at a big box store, but at least I could do it without the hoards of people and I saved even more doing it this way). I also have bought a few things from local stores, which is so much more pleasant. A few more gifts to get on the weekend and then I am going to call it done. So far doing really really well with the budget, definitely under. Don't get me wrong, I want to enjoy Christmas, I just get overwhelmed by too much consumerism sometimes. How about you, are you able to ignore the "Buy! Buy! Buy!" mentality and love Christmas or are you sometimes a Scrooge like me?
Mike
1. Oxfam and World Vision - you can buy a goat/hens/rabbits etc. for a family in a developing country, in another person's name. The other person gets a card notifying them of the impact the gift will have on human lives in India/South America wherever.
2. Citizens Bank of Canada has a shared world term deposit, where every dollar of the principal goes to micro-credit lending (ie. lent to fair-trade coffee farmers/women to buy a sewing machine to start a business etc)., again, in developing countries. I've bought that for my nephew this year. At the end of the year, he has the term deposit plus 3.7% interest, and meanwhile, the money is being lent out in a wonderful way.