John O. Andersen

> As for us, we just plain old don't do the mall shopping thing at ALL.

Neither do we. And it's not like we feel deprived either.

> For Christmas, we give hand-made gifts. We might include the
> fire-started pinecones, this year, that's a great idea! We're giving some
> jars of jam we canned earlier this year, some beeswax rolled candles,
> home-made cookies and fudge, and a homemade ornament. We also give animals
> from Heifer Project ( www.heifer.org ).

People who get offended with my Buy Nothing Day message often defend their
conventional spending by saying they enjoy gift-giving. What rarely gets
mentioned, however, is the option you suggest above; that we aren't required
to buy our gifts at the mall.

I say why not have a completely homemade Christmas?

> So John, thanks for continuing to share your unconventional ideas, I
always
> find them interesting to read. I was especially interested in your essay
on
> jobs. My husband started his own business doing aircraft detailing (or as
he
> says, he's a "glorified janitor") and we've found it gives us tons of
> flexibility, time, and the ability for him to be his own boss, and it pays
> well. My step-brother similarly has his own business cleaning range-hoods
> for big restaurants. He travels all over the country, makes tons of money,
> and loves it. There are tons of niche-markets in the cleaning industry
that
> are lucrative and not very time-intensive.

Yes, I love the cleaning industry. It's a great one to be in, and there
will always be a demand for it.

John Andersen
Uncoventional Ideas: A Collection of Short Essays Which Question Mainstream
Thinking
http://www.unconventionalideas.com

LisaKK

>
> I say why not have a completely homemade Christmas?

Because it doesn't fit and enhance our lives. We're a family of techies and
you can't home make networking cable or a laptop or the hundred other things
we'd like to have.

Using my plastic keyboard to send this cyber note. ;)

[email protected]

To me the most important aspect of dealing with money is the conscious choice
one brings to it. A favorite author refers to money as powerful Medicine (NA
meaning) that must be used wisely. Even though we are very generally frugal
and rarely buy new "stuff" we bought this computer last year (when we had
some "extra"money) brand new from a chain office supply store for $1,000. It
has greatly enhanced our lives. This Christmas we are between jobs so we'll
do something low budget and focus on the spirit of the season. To everything
there is a time...
-Amalia-

John O. Andersen

Lisa,

I didn't mean for all to do that. However, for some people it's a viable
option.

John Andersen
Uncoventional Ideas: A Collection of Short Essays Which Question Mainstream
Thinking
http://www.unconventionalideas.com


> > I say why not have a completely homemade Christmas?
>
> Because it doesn't fit and enhance our lives. We're a family of techies
and
> you can't home make networking cable or a laptop or the hundred other
things
> we'd like to have.
>
> Using my plastic keyboard to send this cyber note. ;)