How the heck are shopping figures up??

While I was cooking Christmas Eve dinner for the family, my husband and his mom realized in a terrible shock that they had forgotten two necessary things, wrapping paper and her vitamins. This called for a trip to the closest mall with a health store which is about fourty five minutes away. A look of pure dread was on their face as they packed into the car, and I waved them off with a sarcastic "You guys have fun! Sorry, I can't go! Turkey in the oven" heehee. They returned in almost no time at all.

When they got back I asked "How was it?" expecting them to be incredibly frazzled by the Christmas Eve crowd. "No one was there" was the only reply I got back. The mall was almost empty, the road was clear. I couldn't believe it.

We gave out homemade jellies and baked goods this year. I managed to produce home made yummies for everyone at a pretty small cost to us. I am assuming a lot of people did this sort of thing as I got many boxes of cookies and bread in the mail from distant relatives/friends. I don't believe the mainstream shopping figures at all.

i work in a walmart store. i saw first hand the store was insane. the parking lot was full and you couldnt move through the aisles. i kept asking myself 'are these people insane?' from my tiny perspective the sales figures are up. people spent money like there was no tomorrow...and truth be told this is the last christmas we will probably have as we have known it. i hope i never hear another christmas song again,,,ever! its ironic...i dont celebrate christmas because it is all a fraud as far as the christ myth goes...and i work in a retail store. china mart it is...

Where do the statistics come from and who are they interviewing - that is what I would like to know. The standard of living is going up. Prices are going up and wages do not necessarily go up in accordance. General terms cannot be applied to financial statistics because everyone lives by their own boundaries.

I am with the train of thought that suggests we are being lied to. Mainstream media is read by the most people so it will start there and gradually the news items will infiltrate the alternative news sites. It is getting more difficult to discern fact based news articles from the contrived articles.

Life is tough when you are unemployed and have been forced out of your home or a natural disaster destroyed your home or you have a huge student debt...so many people have lost big time over the last couple of years.

Just because one neighbour hood looks like it is surviving there are probably ten that are not surviving so well. Or perhaps people are slowing up with regard to buying 'things' and 'stuff'.

Much Peace...to all those who are struggling...

we had no tree, decorations or presents this year. It was sadly just another day. :/