Thursday, November 16, 2006
The Perfect Gift
Well, that Remembrance Day thread was fun, wasn't it? But it is time to move on. Here in Canada, where we don't have the American Thanksgiving holiday to get in the way, the great retail machine has already started pushing Christmas on us.
I should start by admitting a bias. I'm not a big Christmas fan. I'm not a Scrooge or anything. I enjoy the season as much as anyone. I just don't get off on the whole process of Christmas the way some people do - not mentioning any names (Mrs. Mentok).
For one thing, I have a hard time with acute hypocrisy of this season. We honour the birth and philosophy of Jesus by indulging in a month-long orgy of rich food and unabashed materialism. Even that catch-phrase of every Christmas movie - "the real meaning of Christmas" - has become utterly hollow.
What really cracks me up this time of year are all the retailers who use the mantra "makes the perfect gift" without a second thought. Here are a few classics I've encountered over the years:
- an oil change garage
- an adult movies and novelties store
- a funeral home
- a septic-tank cleaning service
...all boasting that their gift certificates make "the perfect gift".
So here's our discussion topic for this week. It may be a bit early, but let's get all of our Scroogisms out of system now so that we can enjoy the season without a further ba-humbug. Have you seen any weird places pushing "the perfect gift"? Have you ever received a horribly bad, inappropriate present? Have you ever witnessed behaviour grotesquely out of line with the spirit of Christmas?
posted by Mentok @ 9:36 a.m.,
7 Comments:
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At 7:41 a.m.,
Bathroom Hippo said...
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Bad Present: Socks, Sweater, other than these...I was pissed when my brothers got something I wanted and they didn't ask for.
Good Present: Mountain Bike, John Wayne DVD's, Star Wars PC Games, Medal of Honor, Doom 3, etc.
Horrible Christmas activity I've seen: I saw some 12 year old cry like a 3 year old when his mom wouldn't get him something expensive...he was really loud and obnoxious (abnoxious?)...I just wanted to beat the hell out of him...and his mom a little. It's what Jesus woulda done...I'm sure. Bastards! -
At 4:53 p.m.,
FiL said...
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Worst present for me were polo shirts given to me by my mother. I hate polo shirts.
Best one without ANY doubt was the G.I. Joe "Secret of the Mummy's Tomb" set I got when I was probably seven. That just rocked!!
The most uncharitable Chrimbo activity I ever saw was my old employer's Xmas party policy. This multi-billion dollar, global firm always allocated a paltry sum per head, which in London translated into a main course at a mediocre restaurant, plus one drink. To top it off, an annual email was sent citing the HR policy that stipulated the amount, and warned that any cost over and above the per capita allowance would need to be borne by the individual employees. Bah, humbug!! -
At 6:28 p.m.,
said...
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weird places pushing "the perfect gift"- Well, since I'm not really Bill Gates auto dealerships come to mind, ha,ha..
ever received a horribly bad, inappropriate present- A regifted kitchen appliance. I really don't like cooking. And I don't care to get someone elses gift with their gift tag still in them, ha,ha..
ever witnessed behaviour grotesquely out of line with the spirit of Christmas?
Of course I have. I have to go to malls for stuff all the time,ha,ha.. -
At 8:37 p.m.,
Unknown said...
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Christmas in my family has recently been known as the "re-assigning of debts."
Last year I felt like Dog the Bounty Hunter.
"Let's see, your brother owes me money, now he owes you that money. Merry Christmas!" -
At 4:41 a.m.,
Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...
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To me, worst Christmas presents are chocolates. You sort of know the person didn't put much thought into the gift.
I also don't like shopping ads (hard-sell ones) in the papers where you know the store doesn't give a hoot about Christmas but they just make it like they do.
By the way, Mentok, you did mention A name. Oops! -
At 11:56 p.m.,
Mentok said...
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Hippo - yes, the sulky, selfish behaviour we see at this time of year knows no age limits, does it?
FiL - more with this whole eerie thing with your mom and mine. I hate polo shirts too, and that is exactly the sort of present she would get me.
I can do you one better than GI Joe. I am just barely old enough to have a faint memory of seeing Captain Action displays in the stores when I was a kid.
I regret to say I've heard too many stories of Scrooge corporate Xmas parties similar to yours. Come the revolution, those bastards will get theirs. With the growing labour shortage due to retiring Boomers, those companies will learn to kiss employees asses soon enough, I reckon.
happy and blue 2 - yes, sadly, one doesn't have to look far to see ugly Christmas behaviour. At the mall last weekend, Mrs Mentok nearly blew her lid at pushy moms and tots who kept butting into the line to see Santa.
Irish Eyes - actually, bounty hunting sounds like a rather fun post Christmas endeavour. It beats fighting the mobs at the Boxing Day sales.
susan - yes, chocolates are fine for an acquaintance, as a token gift for a teacher or coach, but for anyone close it's rather mechanical. My oldest brother, after he was grown and living away from home, used to have a funny gift ritual with my mom. Every year, she would give him plain chest-pocket t-shirts (he'd once asked for them years ago and she'd never bothered to find a fresh suggestion) and every year without out fail or variation he gave her a Hickory Farms assortment basket. -
At 5:57 a.m.,
خدمات منزلية said...
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