Posted on 09/19/2011 5:09:25 PM PDT by Comparative Advantage
The holiday season is on the horizon, and the time to plan, especially for people in need, is now.
The Salvation Army of Greensboro received its boxes of stockings this week.
People who want to receive a stocking for their children will need to sign up next month.
In Greensboro, the dates are October 17-28. Potential clients should go to the Salvation Army Worship Center at 8275 Aycock Street during those dates.
In High Point, it's October 10 -13. Potential clients should go to the office at 301 W. Green Drive during those dates from 9am - Noon and 1pm-3pm.
Major Paul Egan Salvation Army of Greensboro's Corps Officer, told News 2 that if people wait until November to request stockings, it will be too late.
"For them there's really nothing we can do at that point. We strive to make sure nobody falls through the cracks. We work with other agencies, but they are going to receive the best service possible by coming in and signing up early," explained Egan.
The Salvation Army is also looking for bell ringers, now.
If you'd like to volunteer, contact the Salvation Army of Greensboro at (336) 273-5572 or contact your local Salvation Army.
Now you may not need the assistance of the Salvation Army, but you may still be expecting a leaner Christmas.
There is help for you, too. Layaway is back.
Walmart will offer it this year starting October 17th and ending December 16th. Sears and K-mart offer layaway year-round.
But not everyone is a fan of the service. Avery Lee is a stay-at-home dad.
He and his wife cut back last Christmas and expect to do the same this year.
With two little boys and one on the way, he prefers to pay in cash.
"You know layaway doesn't guarantee that it's yours. So, I'd rather just go ahead and pay for it right then and there and go ahead and bring it on home and hide it from them in the attic," stated Lee.
Most financial help websites encourage families to budget now for Christmas. If you also set money aside and buy gifts early, you spread the cost over a number of monthly budgets instead of just one.
We celebrate Christ. Not the abomination they call Christmas.
I might encourage people to stop buying things....maybe its a good year to help our financially those struggling nieces or nephews or neighbors or church people you know....
I am more than happy to help those truly in need. We request that relatives not us anything but it is nearly impossible to get cooperation.
And, you are right, it is just stuff that we rarely use or even want. That money would be better used as a donation to the Salvation Army.
The only thing that I care to do these days on the great non-denominational winter solstice festival is to watch the Vatican mass.
But if one want to do the gift thing, then they should hit some late season garage sales and pick up some cheap items that can be re-gifted with relative ease.
Heck most of the stuff at your typical yard sale were just gifts from last year anyway.
Our family has agreed to do all handmade gifts this year. No store bought stuff. We did it about 30 years ago and it was one of the best Christmas’s we ever had. I’m making homemade Kahlua and cranking up my kiln to make some one of a kind ceramic items.
That sounds really neat. Unique handmade cermanics make really nice gifts.
I made my wife this for Christmas a couple of years ago out of scrap wood in the shop I was working in. I LIKE making things for Christmas.
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/bigheadfred_111/ababy2026.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/bigheadfred_111/ababy2024.jpg
A couple of Christmas’s ago I got my grand-niece a very nice kazoo. I am sure my nephew and his wife thanked me.
;)
Post 9
They must notta thanked you well enuf if ya ain’t playin’ that kazoo outta your wazoo...
Nothing compared to when my dad got his grandson (my nephew) a mini-drumset! My sister was gonna go postal on him!
That’s very nice bhfred! I bet your wife loved that! I may have to show that to my husband now! It looks like you used a special kind of wood, or was that just stained / painted for that appearance?
Very nice! I bet it smells nice, too.
And, it’s not made in communist China with sweat labor either.
Beautiful cedar chest.
We celebrate Christ. Not the abomination they call Christmas.
Amen!
Sometimes I even get paid for it. I’m one of the best cabinetmakers here abouts ya know ;-). But that shop closed down. The one I’m at now is part time. Something to do with the economy or something, so they say. And we are struggling.
Used to be I would buy my kids stuff. As kids. But now they are young adults. I just ask them what they really need. Sometimes what they get for Christmas is some help with their bills.
It is maple and walnut. Clearcoat spray. And it was scrap. Otherwise it wouldna have the defects and discolorations in the maple. Ima kinda a packrat. The boss said I could have it. I did buy a bit of cedar to line it. Pshaw. I gave him a materials list for payment, but when he saw what it was he just told me to get it out of there before HIS wife saw it. :-)
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