Hallmark Holiday

Hallmark has commercialized many holidays.  This isn’t a totally bad thing.   With out money we couldn’t survive in today’s society.   Obtaining money shouldn’t be main focus in life, but everything is good in moderation and we need to work hard to have money so we can obtain the necessities of life such as food and shelter.  If you look at it that way we should be thankful for the holiday frenzy as it provides many with employment.  This employment is not just around the holiday seasons. Granted stores hire additional people over the holiday season, but those products sold in the stores had to be created prior to the holiday season, thus these factory jobs provide yearlong employment for many.

If you look at it in an odd sort of way, all those crazed shoppers that storm the stores on black Friday are really serving the community as they are assisting in providing jobs.  Let’s give a shout out to all you big spenders for keeping the economy going.  At the same time we should also remind you to spend within your means because we don’t want you to go on welfare and then we as a society of hard workers are supporting you because that’s not very fair.

I did not go out this Black Friday and spend money I don’t have. As much as I love hearing someone say they saved $1,200 I have to ask, how much did you spend to save that much?  I thought of hitting Goodwill yesterday as I love getting a good deal and everything is 50% off, but then opted out. I figured for the amount of time it would take to swim thought the crowds and then stand in line it was more economically for me to go to work.  Don’t get me wrong I love getting a good deal, but it’s all about economics and I would loose more money not working then buying something on sale. 

This is my first holiday being single in many years and it’s going to be very different.  I have less money this year, but at the same time I don’t need as much money.  99% of the money we spent in previously years was on his side of the family. There is one good thing about being an only child and exchanging gifts with very few of my extended family is you don’t have to worry as much about being able to afford it.  And it’s not like we spent a fortune in the past. I grew up in a family where we made most of our gifts, so in the grand scheme of things we spent very little compared to the norm.  On the other hand last year I made this exquisite bowl for his mom and I was shocked at the cost and that it took 20hrs to make.  As much as I would love to make it for my Aunt this year, there is no way I can afford to make such a lavish gift.  So as much as I’d love to make gifts for all those that I love this year, I’m not sure if I have the time or money to really make what I want.   I can’t believe it’s after thanksgiving this year and I still haven’t done anything for my family. In the past I would have been done by now. It’s not that I haven’t thought about things I would like to give or make for my family and friends. There is this really cool Safari Adventure near where I live that I would love to do with one of my parents, but it’s really pricy. In the past for Mother’s Day and last Father’s day I took my parents on trips and that was a lot of fun. I wish I had the funds to continue doing that, but unless I go back to corporate America I don’t see that happening.  So, it’s not like I don’t think of them or have great ideas, but it all comes back to economics.