Monday, December 07, 2009

Love All Year Round

Santa says, "Piss on the commercialism!"

Everybody sing, "A lemming we will go ..."

I'm not against the religious meaning of December 25 (whether or not I subscibe to it), but I definitely detest the pressure and the guilt retailers put on the masses.

Think about this. Would Ma and Pa Ingalls have driven their wagon all the way to the Walmart in Mankato to buy Cheap Chinese Crap—using their Chase Bank Platinum Card at 19.8% (since Charles never had two nickels to rub together) —for Mary, Half-Pint, and Carrie? Nope. The girls got home-made and hand-made gifts, gifts made with love, and they were thrilled because they didn't watch the in-your-face advertising on TV.

Our friend Stinkypaw has the right idea with her Blogger gift exchange. Fourteen of her blog friends (she calls them Blends) are exchanging small, home-made gifts. Leave it to a lady named Stinky to come up with such a nice idea.

I also like what Fay has to say:

"It's not that I hate gifts, baking, entertaining, etc. It's just that I'd rather spread it out throughout the year. The giant flashing Santa on my neighbor's roof - that I could live without." [Italics mine]

Sorry, Fay. Just throw a brick or something through my bedroom window and I'll have Martha get out of bed, go out to the garage, and turn Santa off for you.

By the way. Our house didn't win the holiday lighting contest again this year.

* * * * *

Health-wise, I'm feeling a bit better after spending most of the weekend in bed. I'm still taking it very slow, though, and I'll be around to your blogs tomorrow.

18 comments:

Pat said...

So glad you are feeling better. As you know the trick is to take it slow.
As for Christmas they have never been as magical to me as they were as a student nurse when we had no off duty and only the sick children mattered. Ours will be quiet and peaceful and as devoid of commercialism as possible with time to remember old friends and our lost loved ones. And some chocolate and a glass or two.

Fay Campbell said...

I'm glad you're on the mend.
Was Punkers a Shitsu? He/she looks a bit like Blanche only in white.

mapstew said...

Glad you are felling better.

:¬)

Linda Koons said...

Glad you felt like sharing that with us, Charlie. It's not right when you're not around. (BTW, I made you a batch of Christmas cookies, but then I ate 'em. It's the thought that counts anyway, right?)

Robert the Skeptic said...

Glad to have you back on the keyboard, Charlie.

Yes, the Christmas marketing started even earlier this year, the plastic Santas were up in Home Depot before Halloween. I hate it.

Soon we will be in the Terry Gilliam film "Brazil" where they celebrate Christmas for four months of the year. Enjoy, my friend!

Kim Ayres said...

Glad you're a bit better :)

Tiffin said...

Good to see you, chum.
Tui

stinkypaw said...

Happy to read you're feeling somewhat better, take care of yourself.

Thanks for the shoutout.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Good that you're back. Take it slow and get well proper.

To my shame, this year I've started loving the sheer tackiness of the Christmas hostilities. It's probably a bad reaction to something I ate.

Stella said...

Hey Charlie, delighted to see you are still around and making Martha's life difficult ; ) Well not delighted you're making Martha's life difficult, I meant......ah you know what I meant.....

Meg said...

Glad you're feeling better.

I think back in the olden days kids got oranges. I read that somewhere. Imagine filling stockings today with oranges. The world would lose a lot of parents on Christmas.

kara said...

i go back and forth. we have a huge party every year that puts our apt. at capacity. it's always fun, but always stress inducing. but would it be x-mas without it? no.

Alice said...

Well, I hope you are feeling better and please come around my blog for old-school Christmas cheer. This Santa is so up my brother's alley.

Tiffin said...

Meg, my mother-in-law tells about getting only an orange in her stocking for Christmas (she's now 92) and what riches that was to her. We used to get a large Jaffa orange in the toe of our stockings, a rare treat in the depths of winter in Canada. Now it's Terry's Chocolate oranges because oranges can be here in a two days and are available all year long. How the world changes!

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Generally Christmas makes me want to blow up a Walmart, but it's been a lot more enjoyable since I have unapologetically decided that I am no longer buying into (pun only partially intended) overspending on crap nobody needs idea.

So glad you are feeling better, Charlie. We missed you.

mapstew said...

I'm sending you back your shirt for Christmas! (I got MOST of the blood out!) :¬)

St Jude said...

Well better late than never. I'm glad to hear you are getting on an even keel. Take it steady.

Mary Witzl said...

The year before last, my husband -- for the very first time -- went all out and helped me make Christmas special, buying nice, carefully chosen gifts, splurging on food, etc. We had an awful Christmas. Last year, we had a Japanese peace lily for a tree, strings of dried orange slices on red and green ribbon, and a big bowl of popcorn. We bought each other cheap-o presents -- little things we knew everyone would like. I made a big bowl of popcorn, we all huddled around the propane stove in our cold house, and we played cards together and had bacon sandwiches (huge treat in a Muslim country). It was FANTASTIC. I swear to God, the Ingalls family couldn't have done better.