Posted on 11/27/2009 2:56:24 AM PST by Scanian
Another huge value-de stroying hurricane is about to slam America, destroying billions of dollars of value. Another Katrina? No, another Christmas.
This voluntary December calamity is explained in a darkly amusing little book about the size of an iPhone. "Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays" comes from a distinguished publisher, Princeton University Press, and an eminent author, Joel Waldfogel of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton business school. He says that the crux of Yuletide economics, which common sense suggests and research confirms, is:
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Never forget those stripped socks from my Aunts growing up.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE H1N1 PANIC?
Remember THAT???
But only after we threw lots of money at it. IOW, follow the money, someone always makes lots of money on these panic deals.
Right, as families got together for Thanksgiving we were told it could spread Swine Flu.
But for shopping,,,not a word about being in crowds, shopping and spreading Swine Flu!!1
I want a refund on the $70,000,000,000 the idiot US Fed/Gov spent on the fraud MMCC research. I want it NOW!
Since retail giants no longer mention Christmas - perhaps Christians should no longer participate in the *holiday* shopping binge.
My adult family members long ago recognized the appalling consumerism we had been sucked into and no longer participate in wanton warehousing or swapping *stuff* no-one needs.
Christmas is for children and charitable giving.
Heve you noticed the the NY Post has one of the crappiest, slowest and downright worthless website? I do like to read a few of their writers and appreciate their mod right ed stance but that website, redone recently, like NYC, totally sux!
Gifts that people buy for other people are usually poorly matched to the recipients' preferences.
I think many Christmas shoppers buy gifts based on what they themselves would like. I've always tried to put some thought into gift buying so I wouldn't be guilty. Last year my list was short, a couple close friends and my granddaughter (my grandson was in juvenile lockup). I gave my granddaughter money and a set of “Brats” dolls. This year I’ll be looking for anything “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “iCarley”. I won’t be concerned with my grandson - he’s again in juvenile lockup, and he was such a nice kid before puberty. I have a girlfriend who mentioned she wanted a pair of flannel trapdoor footie jammies. That might take some time and effort to find.
Our family has been doing the same thing for the past 3 years - it's GREAT. Just presents for the kids, no one else.
It cuts the stress of buying and receiving junk, frees up time to cook and bake. The kids get a great Christmas instead of a couple of toys from relatives, which helps their parents budget, spend more time baking, etc.
It's stress free and pocketbook rich - a Great Christmas!
I have never gotten the “regular” flu shot and I have done my patriotic best to keep the lines shorter on this H1N1 vaccine. Might just be lucky, but in general, bugs bite me and the bugs die.
Query: Do you know, personally, anyone who has contracted this “pandemic” disease?
Thought not. Pardon my paranoia (you’re not really paranoid if they really are out to get you) but my antennae go up in light of Rahm Emanuel’s comment that one should never waste a good crisis.
Translation: keep’em scared silly,the sheeple will let us do all sorts of un-Constitutional stuff.
I certainly have noticed it. It is pop-up city and extremely slow. My computer had a memory slot burned out by an apparent lightening strike (the bane of Tampa Bay) and sites like the NYP are murder.
Still, I like most of their writers.
I just give ‘em a gift certificate and a nice card and that’s that.
At my age, buying appropriate gifts for kids and young adults is just not something I’m good at.
Ditto that. My four children all received just one gift at Christmas, plus a cash envelope for 1/2 price sales after... and they all loved it. They got to choose their gifts, plus save some $$$
I grew up half a continent from grandparents in Maine and Texas. Instead of wrong-sized sweaters from Maine and hats from Texas my sister and I got checks.
No problems with redemtion/returns/poor selection, and I promise you, we appreciated it more than if grandma had used lots of time picking out something we would have buried in the back of the closet lest our friends even knew we owned such a geeky thing.
Closing on on 60 myself, advice; unless you are so fortunate as to live nearby and KNOW what the kids/friends want, cash is king, nothing rude about it!
Try Vermont General store for the jammies...They can be ordered on line.
I, personally, and three of my children had H1N1, but it was no big deal for us.
We gave up trying to buy something for everyone years ago.
For the grandkids, a card and some cash. They know what they want, it is never returned, and I don’t have to risk body and soul shopping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.