The Angel Tree Dilemma

December is the month for giving. Everyone is familiar with the Salvation Army Angel Tree and what it provides for the less fortunate children of the community. There is a problem with the system though and it does bother me.  Someone within the Salvation Army system is making it very difficult for those of us that want to give the gifts to pick something appropriate for the child. Here is an example….

The card has the child’s first name, gender, age, and clothing size. It has a line for needs (usually clothing or shoes), and a line for wants. This all sounds simple enough, but in this modern age where most things are tailor made and high tech it makes it very difficult to give the child something suitable for that individual. The little girl whose angel card I received is 11 her “want” was a Gameboy© and some games. They do not make those or their games anymore, and even a used one is $45 if you can find one.  The new pocket sized game system that took the place of it is about $75 used, and we are not supposed to give used gifts to the Angel Tree. Now I am in a pickle because I know nothing about this little girl that will help me choose a suitable gift within my price range. If she liked dolls, should I get her a White one or a Black one or an Asian one? Does she have computer access? What about a yard to play in? I really need a little more info to go on so that I can put some constructive thought into helping this little girl get more than clothes for Christmas. 11 and 12 year old “tweens” are hard to buy for anyway because they are not little kids and they are not big kids. But is there a solution? I think so, but they have to be willing to share with me a little more information.

What if the angels looked just the same as they do now, but with a pin number for each one on the back that would allow me to have access to a page on a website that will give a little more detail regarding the child’s circumstances? I don’t think it compromises someone’s privacy to tell me whether or not the child has an outside play area (if I wanted to give them a scooter), access to computer, what do you want to be when you grow up, and other wants so I have more to choose from. This helps the child as much as the giver because it increases the chances that the child will get something that suits their personality.

Let’s update the system so we can bridge the gap between the giver and the receiver and make it a more enjoyable process for all involved.

I Mourn Black Friday

To most people, the phrase “Black Anything” would represent a time to mourn. For some unlucky shoppers it has been a sad occasion as they have often times been injured as they trampled over one another trying to get to the deals. Having worked in retail several different Black Fridays (BF),  I can say that there is nothing that turns me away from the Christmas spirit faster than seeing the way people behave. Is it the deals they are getting or the competition they seek? I wonder.

One year in particular I was managing a snack bar for a major retail chain. We had a plan that sounded fool proof….. When the doors open promptly at 6am, the shoppers would casually stroll by a table full of tree ornaments, and as they passed the little red haired stock boy would smile, hand each one of the first 100 shoppers an ornament, and say “Merry Christmas”.  It was such a simple plan, what could go wrong? Count down…. 3….2….1…. unlatch the doors! 

Two minutes and 17 seconds later I looked over at the little red haired stock boy and seriously considered calling 9-1-1. There he stood behind the empty table with a twilight zone look on his face and one empty palm out stretched as though it were holding something invisible. All he could manage to say was “Wha….. Wha….. What happened?” I am sure he was traumatized and scarred for life.

So who started all this mess anyway?

According to Time.com it was “tied to accounting balance sheets where black ink would represent a profit. Many see Black Friday as the day retailers go into the black or show a profit for the first time in a given year. The term stuck and spread, and by the 1990s Black Friday became an unofficial retail holiday nationwide. Since 2002, Black Friday has been the season's biggest shopping day each year except 2004, according to market-research firm ShopperTrak.”

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1942935,00.html#ixzz1eXE8sX5c

Okay, I get that it’s cool to save some money and get some great deals for our friends and family, and maybe even ourselves. But do we have to act like we are looters following a riot? Can’t we walk calmly into the store, let the little red haired boy hand us a complimentary ornament and wish us Merry Christmas without making him feel as though he has just been violated? It is just an ornament for crying out loud, not a gold coin!

I will not be participating in BF events this year, but I have but one request of the BF shoppers out there…. Please behave in a civilized manner like your momma taught you and be gentle with the little red haired boy!

My Girlfriends.

What is the appropriate number of girlfriends one should have? Two? Four? Five? At most any point in my life I could say that the quantity varies over the years. I believe the important question is not about quantity, but like everything else that matters, it has more to do with quality! Two of the things I have noticed since I became north of 40 is this.... The first is having one or two dependable and reliable girlfriends can be more valuable than any anti-depressant. Secondly, gravitating towards gals that are less like you, but just as mature and accepting give you the opportunity to have different desires mirrored back to you. Let me explain.
I have never been a real prissy girl, but at times wondered what it would be like. My BFF Sandra is very feminine and princess like..... exactly the type of girl I stayed away from back in high school. Now however, I find her princess personality refreshing and comforting. My other BFF Becca is definitely all woman, but not at all a princess. She is strong, brave, and flexible. She and Sandra have very little in common, but when the three of us are together it is the best of times.
Upon reflection I have decided that those two wonderful women and their defined personalities combined with my laid back humorous personality make the perfect woman! If the three of us were combined into one the world would never be the same.

I hold up my glass of wine and toast girlfriends everywhere! Here's to you Becca & Sandra.... together we are every mans dream.... or nightmare.