Merry Christmas to ONE AND OIL!!!

[Bluebear]

The other half and I stopped exchanging Christmas presents a few years ago. We don't need any more "stuff", so instead we treat ourselves to homemade lobster rolls on Christmas Eve, maybe earlier in the month we will have gone to a holiday concert if anything was interesting.

I mention this because I have been out of the gift-giving rat-race for a few years and haven't paid attention to the latest gift trends. Imagine my surprise when on the car radio today I hear a commercial for a gasoline gift card --- the "perfect" gift!

Passing by a heating oil company a few miles later, I notice that their marquee advertises: "GIVE THE GIFT OF HEAT FOR X AS, VISA/MC ACPTD". (The "M" had fallen off.)

Talking about this at work, somebody told me that the most popular item for workplace "Secret Santa" gift exchanges this year is a gas card.

How pathetic is it, that after seven years of George W. Bush and the Republicans the trendiest "gift" is gasoline? Nothing indulgent, nothing opulent, nothing to treat the giftee with something they wouldn't buy for themselves, nothing that prompts thoughtful shopping, nothing to keep or cherish, or even return to the store, dammit!.... just gas. To drive. To keep warm. Ho ho ho.

Of course, the majority of people will still go into credit card debt to purchase other gifts, maybe lead-laden toys from China, since American manufacturing is no more and our most favored trade partner has no labor or safety regulations.....perhaps a cheese tray with a beef log which may or may not contain mad cow disease, since after seven years of George W. Bush and the Republicans our food inspection programs have been decimated....

Don't mind me, I still love the season, the decorations, the music. I am just sad picturing a festive tree with packages underneath it holding the promise of nothing more fantastic than a piece of plastic to be used for buying a few gallons of gasoline.

Noel.

[zorahopkins]

1. Christmas Is For The.....

Christmas used to be for the children.

Children were happy around Christmas.

Now parents are too poor to afford heating oil. And they certainly cannot afford gifts that will add to their children's happiness.

No, Christmas is now for the RICH.

The stinking rich -- who are Bush's croneys.

Who got rich off the backs of people that they made poor -- people who now cannot afford to heat their homes.

Think of how the rich will be spending their Christmases.

And then think of how the poor -- the poor with children -- will spend theirs.

[marmar]

2. It is really pathetic....I've noticed a lot more requests for exotic gifts like gas cards....

Supermarket gift cards, etc. .... I, too, have dropped out of the gift-giving zero-sum game, instead spending the holidays visiting friends and family, eating and drinking liberally.....

And DAYUM those lobster rolls sound good! :9

[babylonsister]

3. Crap! No beef logs for me.

x(

You're right, it's sad. But I don't even love the season. This is one time of year when my good spirits fail me. Bah humbug!

[panader0]

6. C'mon sis, even if you hate the commercialization of Xmas

it's still a time to be jolly. Even strangers are nice at Xmas.

[babylonsister]

9. Thanks, I'll try.

:hi: I'm finally done wrapping and mailing and sending gifts out of state, and 'doing' the cards. :crazy:
Maybe now I'll get into it a bit more; it just seems like there's so much everyone is required to do lest they disappoint their family, at least in my family.

[Bluzmann57]

4. Whatever happened to the concept of Christmas

actually being a religious holiday? It is supposed to celebrate he birth of the son of the Christian God, a fella named Jesus Christ, who, according to every story I've ever heard, was born out of wedlock. Anyway, Jesus Christ's birthday is alleged to be December 25, and it has devolved into a gift buying frenzy which seems to be non christian to me.
Just for the record, I was raised in a Christian household and my parents actually practice what they preach as in helping those who are less fortunate, etc. As long as Christmas is going to be a commercial holiday, we should all help out. Volunteer, donate to toys for tots, do something. Merry Christmas all.

[globalvillage]

5. I got an ad for a healthcare gift card

from Visa.

[goodgd_yall]

7. Man, is that a sad statement, or what.

Like Bluebear pointed out, presents for survival are what they are.

[K Gardner]

8. Sheesh, how truly pathetic. Excellent post. My Christmas "email" this

year was the "Meet the Kids" (who make Walmart Ornaments). I'm refusing to spend ONE penny. I've just absolutely had it. Needless to say, my family thinks I've done gone over the edge, but after 7 years of Bush, who could blame anyone? Still, I'm bookmarking your thread, just in case anyone needs further proof why I'm not Gifting this year.

Heat for Christmas.. and Healthcare Giftcards?? Bah humbug.