2002-12-19 - 1:39 p.m.

Bah, Humbug!

I didn’t want to do this. You may have read my feeling about buying gifts “on command.” But I’m pretty tolerant about other people who do so. I recognize the need to celebrate. There’s a song from “Mame”:

…For I’ve grown a little leaner, grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder, grown a little older
And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder
I need a little Christmas now.

I can sit through the chia pets and the "clapper" and the mass-produced jewelry, but I’ve seen some really offensive commercials this year.

• The Slide Presentation. This is a commercial where mother presents her wish list – lots of expensive stuff – to the family, with pictures projected on a screen so that there shouldn’t be any mistake. Yes, lots of people are hard to buy for and a wish list is useful, but it should be short and sweet . (Don’t anyone name a star after me; I don’t want some astronaut in the distant future to approach a star system and say, “Who the heck was l-empress?”)
• The Apology. This is the one where the woman says, “I’m sorry I made you hand-made gifts last year.” Sorry? I always thought a hand-made gift was one of the most personal things I could do for someone. And what are you saying to little kids who can only manage a hand-made gift?
• The Most Offensive Commercial of All. I keep hearing this on the radio, and if you watch television more than I do, you might have missed it. Lucky you! “Don’t give the same loser gifts you bought last year…” That is one chain I will never patronize.

Is it too much to ask that people learn to count their blessings? It’s such an old-fashioned term, but the more I see and the more I read – including on Diaryland, the better I know how lucky I am. It isn’t even a matter of expecting people to be grateful. In this season of grace, couldn’t they at least be gracious?

I wish you all a happy holiday, in spite of my grousing. I’m truly enjoying everything you all write about your preparations.

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Pretty Clever, Huh? - 2008-12-08
Deja Vu... - 2008-12-07
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The Difference - 2008-11-18
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