I plan not to spend one cent on Christmas this year

except for raw ingredients for homemade cooked goodies.

I don't really have any moey to spend anyway, but I usually cough up at least a few bucks on books or DVDs for my kids. Not even that this year.

Nada.

:P

for the gun sale at the church

I'm guessing he'd go for something utilitarian, simple and easy to carry around. Maybe a .38 revolver.

mounted on His Holy Hummer

a .38 strapped to his bony thigh though, and a 9mm tucked into the rope belt

I've just seen Jesus

Did he also tell you that you're the Second Coming, and everyone should send you money and cupcakes?


(Oh, yeah. Could everyone send me money and cupcakes? Thanks.)

I too was going the homemade gift alternative.

Think of the CEO that may only get a $5 million bonus this year.

You're so selfish.

Mr. Grinch.

Most of the stores are closed on Christmas anyway. :P

"Ideals without common sense are gonna ruin this town!" Mr. Potter

well, except for a new pair of slippers for my son and a half-gallon of maple syrup. I'll decant the maple syrup into used jars, and give containers of homemade pancake mix, homemade plum, walnut and brandy conserve, and make assorted truffles and and pillows. That's it.

I wish I was on your list!

well, I guess I am on your "list," just not the "nice" one. LOL

political disagreements don't define us completely. Nor should they. But it is fun getting creative about gift giving at Christmas. I did it last year too. I bought most of my gifts at funky second hand stores and even the goodwill, and made others (soap). It was great fun.

last year i bought picture frames ($5-$10 at tj maxx) and gave framed pics of my orchids as gifts. i have a little talent in picture taking and growing orchids.

this year i have been taking pictures of the ducks, geese, squirrels, coots, anhingas, iguanas and other critters around the town duck pond. i am hoping to make them up into calendars to give as christmas presents . . . and maybe to sell at the town hall to local residents. ;-) i suppose i should get started on that project. :eyes:

i tell family every year that i do not need more 'stuff' but i am usually outvoted. i don't think i will be this year, however. i will NOT set foot in a mall or big box store. honey will get his prezzie AFTER christmas when the frenzy has died down.

ellen fl

Look around, Christmas cheer brought to you by the slave laborers of Yao Jin provence or whatever the fuck it is.

people make a concerted effort to frequent this site

www.stillmadeinusa.com

Do it! Support American labor, what's left of it. I little more expensive, but it feels better.

Support that site too, if you can!!

I am a glass and metal artist. The galleries I wholesale to depend on certain holidays like Christmas and Mother's Day to stay alive. If they don't keep the doors open, I don't pay the mortgage or med insurance or, um, eat. I'm rather fond of eating.

It's WalMart you hate, not the self-employed artist.

I'm one myself, although I make music instead of objects

But I have no dinero. :shrug:

of speech to direct others to the artist-made, not away from the stores, especially toward those stores/galleries that only sell contemporary American art/craft.

We need all of you. Support your local retailers that sell our work. They are holding on by the tips of their fingers. Good Blue Companies.

The vast majority of toys are made in China. All the 'fad' toys certainly are.

and I suppose I'll do some baking for the neighborhood this year if the kitchen isn't torn apart and I'll be sending my usual assortment of crafts to friends, but I won't be buying anything mass produced.

I'm a firm believer in supporting artists and artisans. I'll also be sending out a couple of yak hats, hats I'll make out of some yak hair I spun up, still haven't quite decided on the style but suppose I'll copy them out of an art book on Andean knitters.

Something tells me that gifts this year will tend more toward the practical than the luxurious, that kids will be getting new clothing and shoes but no new video games; that adults will get clothing but those plasma TV sets will sit there unsold.

Anybody who has the money for luxuries will be wise to wait until January and February. My guess is that there will be a lot of "going out of business" merchandise to be had very cheaply.

Will probably buy some learn-to-read books for my kiddo, secondhand if I can find them.

Pretty much everyone else is getting chocolate chip cookies :)

the retailers can kiss my sweet ass.