November 13, 2009

Yesterday I wrote about the spirit of Christmas the way I see it From The Bottom. Today a few words about gift giving.

I will not make a habit of ranting on and on of the same subject but this something that deserves a few words.

When I was very young, whenever there was a holiday where gift giving was the costume I got a pen or a book or a (one) toy. And I was very happy to get anything.

Nowadays people spend enormous amounts of money on presents. The money value doesn't really represent their love toward the person receiving the present. Rather, they just don't want to be outdone by someone else.

There are expensive new hi-tech toys that kids want. Parents will buy them because they are afraid their kids will not forgive them if they don't get the stuff.

Neiman-Marcus' Christmas Catalog always advertise extremely expensive extravagant items. A $100,000 chinchilla coat is nothing. You could buy a private island somewhere for a mere $15 million. Or a private jet for $35 mil.

I decided against a refurbished World War II tank in perfect running condition because for $250,000 it didn't have power steering!

A funny thing is, that years ago we spent an enormous amount of time buying presents to our toddler niece. Dolls, dolls and more dolls. The dolls talked, walked, slept, and did everything but clean house. We put the packages under the tree. When the time came to open the presents she seemed to be more interested in the colorful wrapping papers than the contents of the boxes.

The fact that the day after Christmas Day is returning day indicates that the majority of the people return their presents. So why not just give gift certificates or cash rather than waste time on shopping?

I personally like cash. I never like any of the presents I receive because I am very fussy. I hate to smile and say how I love it and this just what I always dreamed of. And the next minute start thinking how can I return it and get something I really like.

Here is another angle. You give someone $100 worth of presents. That person gives you presents worth $100. Neither of you really like what you got and you are even with the money.

My suggestion is both keep the $100 and call it even.

A very good Christmas present in my opinion is theater tickets. People don't go to the theater enough. And with today's ticket prices that is understandable. I bet there are people who have never ever gone to see a Broadway show and live in New York. So, two tickets is a great idea. Not very cheap but good present.

That's all about Christmas for now!

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Today the market went up 73 points. Suddenly we are living in a rosy economy. I coined a new economical term: yoyo economy. That is what we are living in. One day the economy is great the next day it looks terrible. How can a sane person can make sense out of this?