That's Life: Joy Is In The GivingBy Phyllis McGuire
iBerkshires Columnist
07:45PM / Monday, December 15, 2008
This year, more than 50 percent of Americans will spend less on Christmas than they routinely do, according to a poll conducted by The Associated Press.
I doubt that this comes as a surprise to anyone who does not live in denial, claiming that our economy is not in crisis.
In this climate of uncertainty, people will cut from their budgets all unnecessary spending. The main concern for breadwinners who now find themselves unemployed is putting food on the table for their families and keeping a roof over their heads.
Most parents will somehow find a way to buy a Christmas gift for their children. Perhaps they will hand-wash clothes, and save the coins they would have deposited in a machine in a laundrymat, or perhaps they will walk rather than ride a bus to the unemployment office or employment agency. Those who have no alternative will seek the help of charitable organizations that provide the toys which children so look forward to receiving at Christmastime.
 During the l974-75 recession, my husband, Bill, lost his job in October 1975 when the company he worked for went out of business.
Although Bill secured temporary work, he was not paid enough to cover our mortgage payments and other house expenses. Thus our small savings account was quickly depleted.
Playing the Grinch
I dreaded telling our two young children that Santa Claus would not be coming to our house to leave them gifts this Christmas. I envisioned them looking at me, their eyes clouded with disbelief, as they said, "But we've been good."
Because of my family's generosity and thoughtfulness, I was spared playing the Grinch; their gifts were beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Little did the children know then that "Santa Claus" assumes various disguises.
Many years earlier, when I was single and living at home with my parents and two sisters, Claire and Gloria, it was not a declining economy but personal reasons that prompted us to abstain from buying Christmas gifts.
That November we had moved into a new apartment, and had invested much time and money in buying new furnishings. Too, we all had spent quite a sum on wedding apparel we were to wear when Claire married in a few months.
We agreed, therefore, to not exchange gifts that year. We did set up a Christmas tree in our living room but on Christmas Eve as we looked at the empty space beneath the tree, we were filled with regret.
I do not know if it truly is more blessed to give than to receive, but I know that I missed the excitement, the anticipation that comes with gift giving.
With only a few hours left to shop, we each invented an excuse for leaving the house, except for father who always relied on Mother to attend to shopping. "OK," Father said when Mother told him she had to run an errand, "while you're gone, I'll put away the boxes the decorations were in."
There were a number of stores and a Woolworth's on the avenue near our home, and I bumped into Gloria as I was eyeing a lace-trimmed slip on display in the window of a woman's clothing store. We grinned at each other knowingly, and then Gloria said, "I'll come back later."
Shortly after the stores closed, we all returned home within minutes of each other, carrying shopping bags and boxes.
Wrapping Extravaganza
.jpg) Since it was no longer secret that we had been buying gifts, we gathered in my parents' bedroom and placed on the bed wrapping paper, red, green and white ribbon and bows, cellophane tape and scissors. Standing around the bed, we wrapped our gifts. If certain gifts, such as gloves, perfumes, slippers, were in telltale boxes, we asked the person for whom they were intended to turn away while we decorated the box and then slipped it back into a shopping bag. It was fun!
We used just about all the money we had on hand that night, and the following week we were very careful with what we had left to live on. For instance, we carried bag lunches to work — sandwiches and fruit — and postponed beauty parlor appointments.
There were fewer and less costly presents than usual under the tree that year, but I believe that whatever is bought with a loving heart, brings joy not only to the recipient, but to the giver as well. |
