Make-or-break holiday season looms large

I'm gazing into my crystal snowball. I SEEEEE.......... Many stupid people spending money they don't have. Buying chinese made crap at walmart. Fear not.  It will be business as usual for retailers this year.

I'm not so sure.  Personally, I've bneen cutting back a little each holiday season for the last five years.  This year I fear may be a non-exsistent holiday.

We are only buying necessities!  My husband works at a major oil refinery, there is a strong probability of a strike in Feb 2009.

It will be "break it" if they have to depend on me. I have already looked at my checkbook in the future, and it looks like $20.00 gift certificates to the 9 people I will be shopping for. NOT ONE Penny more!

Where they spend it, I don't care. NO charge cards, no cash, and nothing else will I buy. I simple don't have the money to throw at a Holiday season, that is over spent, in every regard.

If I can buy an item (same item, same brand) for $10.00 less at one store than another, of course I'll choose the less expensive. When I think I want something, I shop the sale ads like crazy. Recently Target offered an item I'd been wanting for $5.00 less than I've ever seen it, even at Costco or Sam's. I've been watching prices on this item for at least a year. It was not a must-have, but was on my wish list. Top price $69.95 in department stores like Kohl's & Dillards, $49.95 on sale at Wal-Mart last Christmas time, and at Costco. Target sale price, $45.00. I bought it. Savings over department store price: $24.95, or over 35%. Why on earth would anyone knowingly buy something for 35% more than they had to, when they could spend a little time to find the right price, especially on items that are not must-haves. Department store markups are much higher, and I think they'll be in real trouble in the coming months and years, as people have less money to spend. Shoppers will have to do anything they can to make their money go farther.

One comment in the entire article sums it up........."Much of retailers' holiday stock is arriving at PORTS now".  Hmmm, let's think this through. NO jobs, NO money!

The only thing good about this...is now I can walk into a store in October and not hear the jolly ho ho ho's...lol

What the heck is wrong with people...why do we even have this holiday??? I don't want to hear about people being sad they don't have the money to buy their kids expensive CRAP like Nintendo DOS's and Flatscreen HD's when the holiday is not even about that. It's about the birth of Lord and not about buying presents for each other that only makes our kids stay inside all day long with their faces stuck to the tv, when they should be outside learning about the environment around them so that one day when they do have to defend themselves, because our own government and society has thrown our country away, they will be able to. Who even cares if you get a present...yes in some regard the 3 wisemen brought baby Jesus gifts and in a way our holiday season is supposed to resemble something to that degree, but I hardly think that we are supposed to be upset this holiday season because our government decided to drive our own country into the ground and no one has money to buy anyone anything, boohoo. If we EVEN stuck to the morals that this country was founded on WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY!!!! I've lived my entire life without investing in anything and I still live paycheck to paycheck and you know what I'm thankful for??? Our Lord, my life and the ablility to have a life on this earth. (By the way if you elect Obama it won't be "our" country anymore...it will be a foreigners destination for teen sex slaving and open terrorism...I will turn the other cheek now.) PLEASE understand the true meaning of this holiday season and on Thanksgiving...be thankful you have a life. Don't be thankful because you have enough money to buy your spoiled kids exactly what they want. True its always good to see that smile on their faces, but make it happen another way. Teach them the real meaning of being thankful. Be thankful you don't have to beg people for change just to get a hot meal. Be thankful you have a family around to share the holiday season with and if you don't have anything to be thankful for, MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOULS...

What the heck is wrong with people...why do we even have this holiday??? I don't want to hear about people being sad they don't have the money to buy their kids expensive CRAP like Nintendo DOS's and Flatscreen HD's when the holiday is not even about that. It's about the birth of Lord and not about buying presents for each other that only makes our kids stay inside all day long with their faces stuck to the tv, when they should be outside learning about the environment around them so that one day when they do have to defend themselves, because our own government and society has thrown our country away, they will be able to. Who even cares if you get a present...yes in some regard the 3 wisemen brought baby Jesus gifts and in a way our holiday season is supposed to resemble something to that degree, but I hardly think that we are supposed to be upset this holiday season because our government decided to drive our own country into the ground and no one has money to buy anyone anything, boohoo. If we EVEN stuck to the morals that this country was founded on WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY!!!! I've lived my entire life without investing in anything and I still live paycheck to paycheck and you know what I'm thankful for??? Our Lord, my life and the ability to have a life on this earth. (By the way if you elect Obama it won't be "our" country anymore...it will be a foreigners destination for teen sex slaving and open terrorism...I will turn the other cheek now.) PLEASE understand the true meaning of this holiday season and on Thanksgiving...be thankful you have a life. Don't be thankful because you have enough money to buy your spoiled kids exactly what they want. True its always good to see that smile on their faces, but make it happen another way. Teach them the real meaning of being thankful. Be thankful you don't have to beg people for change just to get a hot meal. Be thankful you have a family around to share the holiday season with and if you don't have anything to be thankful for, MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOULS...

As a small retail store owner, I can ask for one thing, shop local. Don't just shop online, do both and remember the small store that keeps your public library, school and other services going. Online shopping provides no income to local communities. But what I think will really happen this year in terms of giving gifts is that many people will make their own. Make it a handmade holiday.