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Born Consumers

Americans are born and raised in shopping malls. Seriously! You can see folks pushing strollers from store to store everyday of the week. Look out for the weekend. Mercy me. You can't take two steps without tripping over a stroller. George Carlin solved the dilemma of voting by staying home and I likewise have solved the stroller issue, avoiding the mall. Don't get me going on the food courts in these malls. Again, George Carlin covered it perfectly.


Americans are going to face a dilemma this year. Especially if you tend to procrastinate on your Christmas shopping. You may not find anything. I already have the items for my daughter. That's it. I will get the cat and dog a little gift, and that is the end. Everyone else will get fudge, cookies, and jam. Yes, I need my jars back. I do this with people that I know I'll get them back. And I do have one person I don't give to because she's too damn picky and I don't do gift cards. You take what's offered or you go without. 


I wrote in another post that it may be time for us to start learning old skills like making gifts. I used to watch Alaska: The Last Frontier, the Kilchers have a tradition I really like. They draw a name at Thanksgiving and that's their person. No! They don't go buy something. They make something for that person. One year Otto made a lake for his daughter-in-law. He had everything he needed except the water. Shane, one of Atz Kilcher's sons, canned vegetable soup for Charlotte Otto's wife. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. The gift wasn't just the soup, it was also Shane's time in thinking of the perfect gift. Then it was his time and materials for the soup. Now we just go to the mall or other store and hope for the best. We don't put any real time in the process. 


I have no doubt that some will read this and think how outdated homemade gifts are. I don't care. I am sick of watching people work themselves to the bone for stuff that no one wants after they are gone. I have cookbooks that I know Antonia's not going to want. I have cds and dvds she won't want. That's okay. She also has other things like the confidence that I have installed in her and principals that no one will ever take away. Memories of being raised by someone with a sense of humor. She's learned how to roll with the punches and when to stand and fight. 


Even though Americans are born to consume, we can also learn to consume less.

Links: 

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22725031/buying-less-supply-chain-holiday-shopping


https://youtu.be/5E3HYmdfSXM

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