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October 2009 
Post Traumatic Holiday Gifts Syndrome
AlcheMystic
Ya know....I never did get around to writing anything about the guy that was trampled to death at a WalMart on "Black Friday." As a human being I am embarrassed and appalled. As a human being who spent 22+ years in retail the embarrassement is one thousandfold. Come on people...it's STUFF! I won't even get into the issue with the Guys n Guns at the toy store.
Prior to this horrible horrible bad behavior with deadly results I had commented to Brian that I wanted to make as many of our holiday gifts as possible. Last Christmas we had seriously pondered why we acknowledged Christmas at all as neither one of us is Christian. Really. My thoughts last year were that I should be celebrating Winter Solstice if anything.
I think the bullshit behavior at that Wal Mart sealed the deal for me. I refuse to participate in the matrialistic competition that was once simple holiday gift giving. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to give gifts to the people I love. I am just rethinking what I give, how the gifts come into being, and the reason/intention for the gift.
Access: Public
Hi…I am just cruising by…you know I wanted to write about it as well…say something, anything…even yell it out…I hear you, I really do…I still can’t get this one out of my thoughts, I am still talking about it and telling people…this is the one that simply topped me over and I am not sure even why…there is worse I tell myself…but this one…did me in…
I am glad you wrote about it…and I am listening.
Denim
The only good that could have come out of that awful terrible incident is if it did cause us to re-think our priorities concerning gifting & consumerism. That was so sad…. We’re re-thinking the way we’re celebrating the holidays, as well.
Hi Denim and Kathy!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Denim, I understand what you mean when you say you tell yourself there are worse things but this one did you in. I had the same reaction and that brings me to what Kathy said about the potential of this situation resulting in us rethinking our priorities. Soon after this happened I did have the thought that perhaps the man’s last gift to the world was the opportunity for us to look iin the mirror. I gave thanks to him when I had this thought.
Here’s to hoping for a meaningful shift in how the masses view the holidays.
Namaste,
Mimi
Here…here…!