Valentines, Christmas, Halloween, etc

Am I a scrooge to think that all our holidays have been usurped by marketing? With each succeeding holiday the sellers ratchet up our expectations of how much is the "accepted amount" to spend.Every event that can be commericialized, is. Candy manufacturers lurch from one holiday to the next just changing the color of the wrappers to match the holiday. I am a frugal person and I shop for cheap groceries depending on whatever holiday promotion is in progress at the moment. It makes me wonder after 500 years, what will it all look like. I think George Washington would be really proud to know that younger generations remember him for mattress sales and Martin Luther King for all the plasma TV's his birthday sold. Even the Super Bowl has become more about the ads than the game itself. We like lemmings to the sea, rush to consume ourselves to death to support the corporations who are supposed to create jobs with the 'trickle down' effect. I dont know about you but this does not seem to be working that well. Stepping down from soapbox now.

Well, I see that others have stopped by without leaving a post.....I think you are 100% spot on. The expectations are what I find hard to deal with because so much is unrealistic. The debt people incur to be with the crowd is just sad, I'd rather have the person and the experience rather than material things. Keep strong & don't go along.....Deb

Thank you for your comment. I just needed to get that off my chest.

Did you notice I made a rhyme??? haha! Have a great day, Kiddoo!

I noticed that it was easy to remember and a thought I'd like to keep. Since you called my attention to it, I see that it rhymes. Girl, you are a poet!

yup!

With you 100%! Howeverim such a holiday person that I still get caught up in a lot of it..over past years I've tried making it an old fashion celebration..most gifts handmade, gifts from the heart and bringing back family traditions of times gone by.

For example, I just contacted an elderly aunt to see if she may have kept a saucer /cup that belonged to her mom (who died at 34-few months before I was born) so I can incorporate it in a stained glass window panel..would mean much to my mom..

Last year along with commercial gifts for christmas, I included day certificates for things the grandchildren enjoyed, just last week took Noah to I door Joyride 150' bike jumping theme park, i get to spend the day doing their favorite thing and enjoying time with them.

During pre Christmas weeks, we the grand hidden and I who now are in their teens still spend a few Saturdays together making gifts..you would be amazed at some of their projects..their mom/dad and grandparents wait in anticipation to see what the project will be..

Sorry for rambling on..

Betty, I love what you are doing. I think that type of activity with the next generation can be very helpful in re-centering us all on what matters, what's enduring, what's precious. Thanks for being a part of the solution and teaching young people the same.

Betty, what wonderful ideas.. We need to spend time with our grandchildren for as long as we can 'cause we never get it back, that's for sure....very nice ideas...

hmmm had posted these, must be in cyberspace lol

2 boys made candle holders and the other 2 made jewelry, of course grandma played with the kiln


A night with grandma who is teaching them that gifts are more felt in the heart when made with love...don't know how many more years before they feel it's a sissy thing to do???

#1 very goodlooking boys
#2 I love those signs!!!
#3 I can't get the third one to enlarge....

Thank you for sharing this.....

Thankg you..the pieces are trio candle holders..they were quite proud of their projects, couldn't wait to give them..this year was the first that their other grandmother called me and thanked me for taking the time to help them..says she is always waiting in anticipation to see what this years gigot will be..that was heartfelt.