Santa Beats the Recession

So the American economy has been in a recession since late last year? Now there is a shocker to most people in the country. One thing that we can at least be thankful for this year is that gas prices have dropped by more than half in most areas since their summer peak, just in time for the winter heating season.

So your retirement fund has taken a hit, you are thinking more about running up credit card debt, and you really would like to cut back a bit on your holiday spending. What can you do that will still enable you to feel more like Santa Clause than Ebeneezer Scrooge this Christmas? Plenty.

The first thing that you can do is what might seem like an easy place to cut back, but in fact you should not, and perhaps you should consider expanding. That would be your Christmas card list.

The fact is that Christmas cards have become extremely affordable if you just shop around. You can go lavish and spend $20 or more for a box of 18 cards. But why do that when you can also find nice ones of twice that number for half the price?

You can hand them out at work and school, and even to most of your family members and neighbors. But make sure that you mail a bunch out to those who live far away. A Christmas card is your opportunity, perhaps the only such opportunity that you will have during a year, to let people know that they matter to you.

Steppin' Into a Christmas Story With Peanuts

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful this time of year. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, with everyone telling you “be of good cheer”. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly, perhaps because Santa Claus is coming to town.

More importantly, we celebrate the first Noel, when some folks asked “What child is this?”, and angels sang “Glory to the newborn king”.

It’s Christmas time again, when a reindeer named Rudolph and a snowman named Frosty become heroes, and we are reacquainted with scary villains with names like Grinch and Scrooge.

I always look forward to this time of year, to writing something about Christmas. This year in particular, the topic seemed so ripe for the picking.

I would hang out under the mistletoe and drink eggnog with the other folks bashing the attacks on Christmas by secularists.

I would take my potshots at liberal media and those who have gone overboard from the good ship S.S. Politically Correct. I would denounce those who dared utter “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas”.

And then it hit me. I don’t mind anyone wishing me a happy holiday, after all. I don’t need some corporation blitzing me with it in their ads. I don’t need some store-greeter shooting me a phony smile and a yuletide greeting. I am very well aware of what time of year it is, and so is the vast majority of the rest of America.

It’s Christmas Time, and nothing can stop that from coming.