We May Desire but Do We Really Deserve!

Today I went to the mall figuring I would do some holiday shopping during the week to avoid the crowds. Surprisingly the mall was jam packed; holiday shopping SRO as usual despite all the news to the contrary that retail was down. So I focused in on the shoppers and I realized that they didn't have many bags and I had none. I was looking and searching and thinking but I was not satisfied with my choices. Fine choices all and some even at a decent value, I guess, but nothing that made me bite.

Why? I'm not sure, my holiday shopping budget is still intact, it was conservative to begin with, but perhaps, maybe too conservative. Really, my gift budget per person probably can be characterized as chintzy and maybe that is the reality for all of us. Therefore, why buy someone a cheap tchotchke that you know they may not like or simply might re-gift just to get them a gift?

The truth is that after the big shopping spree we have had for the last 8 years, no one really needs anything. Look around, the only complaint that I have really ever heard over the last few years is the need for more storage. No matter how large the homes we owned, we filled it with stuff. Most of us simply have too much stuff. Is there anyone out there who really needs a gift? Though I am willing to accept all ideas if someone has any because I haven't been able to come up with much so far.

I can tell you what I want - my desires are all for the house, a new master bathroom and kitchen, both of which are basically dead, 30 years old and counting. Ask me if I need af any of it, probably not, will I survive, absolutely! Nevertheless, we somehow have the 'desire and deserve' gene that doesn't disappear with a souring economy. If you work hard, you want a reward, the paycheck is part of it and you are grateful enough for it to pay the bills and secure your world but most of us find it hard to live or exist on an austerity budget, whatever the case we still need to treat ourselves to something.

They say charity begins at home and I certainly donate every single item that I no longer have use for. I am a sentimental soul so I save all items that are given to me; letters, gifts & items no matter how small, if you give it to me, I will keep it except household goods, clothing and all that - I will pass those on if I know another family can use them but that bear that one of my good friends gave to me during my freshman year of college, I have that and of course, every single thing that my children ever made for me. I wonder about securing all of it though, mother nature could take my house anytime.

Do any of us really need more stuff? As we try to pay down our debts and keep our financial selves above water, should we really be adding even more debt by still striving to give each other gifts? Probably not. Most of us barely remember what holiday gifts we received last year.

We have been fortunate in America thus far and our recent troubles are our own. If we do have some cash, we should be preserving it to make it through next year. All indications are that it will be 2010 before things turn around. What we need to remember to do is to give of ourselves. I am certainly going to try.