Ah, the Christmas season – too much to eat and too many presents to give to people who don’t want anything. The eating I have under control now that I am a vegan. It isn’t a big deal, but if you don’t eat deserts or candy and stick to vegetables you are bound to keep your weight down.

The presents are another story. Everyone expects a present but nobody in our society of affluence needs anything – so everyone wants money. To avoid the crassness of cash, the push is to give gift cards.

I was thinking it was a good idea until I heard this review on the CBC. The person there talked about the billions of dollars tied up in gift cards and how people could loose the cards, needed to get them verified, etc. The National Retail Federation estimates that gift card sales this year will be nearly $80 billion. About 10 percent of that amount — $8 billion — will stay right in retailers’ pockets, thanks to fees, loopholes and consumer forgetfulness. The man on the CBC suggested we go back to the Government of Canada Gift Card… MONEY. It made sense to me so my family was delighted with their presents.

But now I am trying to figure out a way to eliminate personalized gifts all together (except for the kids of course).

My great grandson says “say cheese, truck.”

I think if we need nothing we should get nothing – after all, I have been spending weeks trying to cut down on my stuff.

Some people should use a shovel to clear out their stuff

We could give to those who do need it. I have my charities as I assume you do too, so let us consider these. Or if you know someone or some third world organization or one of the many organizations that are having trouble due to government cut backs, consider giving to them in your overweight, over stuffed family members name. I know they want the bucks, but it is time for us to cut through the consumer madness created by the ad men in our throw away society.

Henri and I gave each other just what we wanted. We wanted nothing so we got nothing. (We did have a romantic afternoon when the family went to the movies though!)