A sure sign of the approaching holidays
For me, it isn't when decorations start going up in the stores, because that's been becoming silly for a while now. Last week, during the brief 70-degree spell, they were putting up snowflake and icicle lights on the Civic Center parking garage (though they haven't switched them on just yet, to their credit).

It's when I start noticing the phrase "makes a great gift!" in advertising for the most asinine products. I'm sure an electrically-powered jar opener, appearing to stand taller and occupy more counter space than a coffeemaker, would be a welcome appliance for those who routinely struggle with accomplishing the task manually. Most people, I suspect, could live without it, as they have since the Sumerians began storing food in sealed crockery.

The only way these "As Seen on TV" Electro-Fred products would make "great" gifts is if the intended recipient has expressed a need or desire for one. Even so, many of those "great gifts" will land on tag sale tables starting in January, in unused condition, so patience might save you money.

With the gifts I receive, I can always tell how much thought the giver put behind the present. And I can tell which ones satisfied a requirement to cross my name off a list of people to buy gifts for. I always challenge myself to select gifts that will qualify for the first category. I know it's somewhat hard to do, because it requires you know something about the people you're gifting. Here's a tip to make shopping easier, though. If the product you're considering is being hawked as "a great gift," move on. 11:00:34 AM    comment []trackback []