Virginia Gal's Bah Humbug Moment

I'm prefacing this post with a disclaimer, if you are all about the holiday spirit, elfish felicity and gingerbread goodness, this post is probably not going to be for you.

I was listening on the radio, NPR, about how the Salvation Army was saying that their donations were down and they, the Salvation Army, would not be able to give as many presents this year as in the past. Hearing this, I didn't feel one ounce of pang. Does this make me a bad person? Maybe. I am sorry but there are kids in the world who have literally (hope I'm using that word right Darla D), no food to eat, let alone imagining having a toy!

Presents, presents, I am sorry you're not getting a Barbie or Transformer this year, or some stuffed toy that you'll play with for a few months and than get bored with and discard, wanting whatever is the latest and greatest toy out there, but what the heck, you will live!....meanwhile all over this world, including in America, there are children with not enough food, clothes, heck even heat in the house, perhaps that is a better present????

Maybe this makes me a Scrooge, but Angel Tree's and such are just a way to appease shoppers of their obscene materialism in this period. Buy a "poor kid" some toy and than you can feel better about spending hundreds of dollars on electronics, clothes, toys, and the like. I know, I know, kindness and comfort can come in the form of a gift, a token, but wouldn't that money be better used for the well-being of the child or children around the world?

Maybe its my cash-strapped situation, which has me currently living paycheck to paycheck, maybe its my anger at this government (Treasury Department) that gave those greedy already filthy rich investment bankers $75 billion but still insists I pay back my student loans (trust me a drop in the hat compared to $75 billion), but I just am upset at these Christmas gift charity things, where does it end?! Well I guess since we gave charity to the auto industry, there really is no end, perhaps we should set up charities for everything we want, early bird dinners for Florida senior citizens, spa treatments for Park Ave. ladies, ponies for lobbyists on K street....

Urgh - Christmas gifts are not necessary, they are not even a part of Christmas, just invented by our materialistic society! You will live without getting a Christmas present, yes you might feel bad since our culture has drummed it into our heads that Christmas is all about Santa and waking up on December 25th to a beautifully decorated tree that shelters underneath its delightful branches, reams and reams of artfully decorated gifts, but you will still live. If you have money to get gifts, than fine, but charity to get a gift, is that really necessary?? Instead what is necessary is food, water, shelter, clothes, health care, heck a good education, that is a good charity!

This is my Virginia Gal bah humbug moment.