Christmas Gifts Your Kids Will Cry For
I am not the Grinch and this column most certainly is not about stealing Christmas. Having said that, readers are most likely set for some kind of non-traditional nonsense that only The Captain, as one of my daughter's boyfriends named me, would put forth in print.
In Dr. Seuss's "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," little Cindy and all of the Whoville inhabitants rejoice and exhibite the holiday spirit even though the green guy with the Santa outfit had packed his sled and driven off with all of their gifts he'd gone down the chimneys and stolen from under their decorated trees.
In life, people in America have seen much harder times. While there's bound to be some adjustments needed in many households this year and while the troublesome economy is the back story to our money troubles, sometime limited amounts of cash and closed credit are actually blessings in disguise.
Once upon a time, right here in America - the land of milk and honey - parents didn't pack so many gifts under the decorated tree that their children spent most of the morning unwrapping them rather than enjoying them.Once upon a time, right here in America - in a place called Terry, Miss. - my friend told me she and the rest of the kids in the family got a fresh apple on the big morning. That was it. That was their Christmas and they were thankful.
Just a few years ago, right here in the land of the Rose Parade- a place called Pasadena, another friend was troubled because after her son opened up all of his gifts, and the electronic gadget he had wanted so badly wasn't in the collection, he went to bed crying.
Mom needed all of her friends to help because her trouble stemmed from her having looked everywhere for the gadget but it was sold out. She was asking me to please, if I heard of anywhere it was in stock, to let her know, as the boy really had to have one.
This year news reports tell us favorite toys and gadgets will not remain on the store shelves very long because merchants are stocking smaller numbers of items so gift givers will need to shop early.
Well I haven't found any grocers warning that apples will not be available in the produce section. This past week, fresh crisp Fujis were only 58 cents per pound at Food 4 Less, and at Smart and Final, Red Delicious apples were three pounds for just $1.49.
Of course there are the other regulars we know of such as Granny Smith and Golden Delicious; in fact, there are over 7,000 varieties of apples throughout the world.
I suspect my friend Arlene from Mississippi more than likely had one of the apples we're all pretty familiar with - but the McClain clan, about a dozen kids, were all thankful.
Am I advising apples instead of gadgets this year? Well, back to the concept of lack of cash, no credit and blessings in disguise. Giving apples does fit the concept. Also, the many varieties of this fruit gives the giver a unique shopping experience when it comes to selection: size, shape, sweet, tart, crisp or even soft, and it gives the ungrateful child recipient the chance to have a tantrum and to, we can only hope, stay in bed for the day, having cried their self to sleep.
Signed, The Captain
In Dr. Seuss's "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," little Cindy and all of the Whoville inhabitants rejoice and exhibite the holiday spirit even though the green guy with the Santa outfit had packed his sled and driven off with all of their gifts he'd gone down the chimneys and stolen from under their decorated trees.
In life, people in America have seen much harder times. While there's bound to be some adjustments needed in many households this year and while the troublesome economy is the back story to our money troubles, sometime limited amounts of cash and closed credit are actually blessings in disguise.
Once upon a time, right here in America - the land of milk and honey - parents didn't pack so many gifts under the decorated tree that their children spent most of the morning unwrapping them rather than enjoying them.Once upon a time, right here in America - in a place called Terry, Miss. - my friend told me she and the rest of the kids in the family got a fresh apple on the big morning. That was it. That was their Christmas and they were thankful.
Just a few years ago, right here in the land of the Rose Parade- a place called Pasadena, another friend was troubled because after her son opened up all of his gifts, and the electronic gadget he had wanted so badly wasn't in the collection, he went to bed crying.
Mom needed all of her friends to help because her trouble stemmed from her having looked everywhere for the gadget but it was sold out. She was asking me to please, if I heard of anywhere it was in stock, to let her know, as the boy really had to have one.
This year news reports tell us favorite toys and gadgets will not remain on the store shelves very long because merchants are stocking smaller numbers of items so gift givers will need to shop early.
Well I haven't found any grocers warning that apples will not be available in the produce section. This past week, fresh crisp Fujis were only 58 cents per pound at Food 4 Less, and at Smart and Final, Red Delicious apples were three pounds for just $1.49.
Of course there are the other regulars we know of such as Granny Smith and Golden Delicious; in fact, there are over 7,000 varieties of apples throughout the world.
I suspect my friend Arlene from Mississippi more than likely had one of the apples we're all pretty familiar with - but the McClain clan, about a dozen kids, were all thankful.
Am I advising apples instead of gadgets this year? Well, back to the concept of lack of cash, no credit and blessings in disguise. Giving apples does fit the concept. Also, the many varieties of this fruit gives the giver a unique shopping experience when it comes to selection: size, shape, sweet, tart, crisp or even soft, and it gives the ungrateful child recipient the chance to have a tantrum and to, we can only hope, stay in bed for the day, having cried their self to sleep.
Signed, The Captain