By: Daniel Nardini
Sometimes my parents spent more money on gifts on some years than on others, but for the most part they only bought a few gifts during lean years. When my sister and I were children, we did not go for want—our parents bought us some toys and we still had a good holiday. What bothers me about this year’s commercial trend are how expensive some of the “most sought after items” are. There is the Kindle Paperwhite from $119 to $139. There is the IdeaPad from $999 to $1,299. We also have the Samsung E8000 Plasma TV for $1,530. Of course, for something a little cheaper, there is the iPhone 5 for about $199 to $399. Of course, I am not even getting into the latest electronic toys (or are these the toys?!) for Christmas. All of this wants to make me scream! Not only can I NOT afford them, but by next year half of them will probably be junk or sold off at auction anyways.
To me, the best gifts are those that are actually affordable and have meaning. If you want to give someone some knowledge, go buy a printed book. Books have been around for thousands of years, and in my view they are still a good gift. Besides, long after the Kindle Paperwhite goes on the blink, that book you gave will still be on the shelf for someone to read. Or how about buying a wind-up watch? Might not be a bad idea when your iPhone or even cell phone ceases to function. Wind-up watches are still available, and anyone can find them in the Vermont Country Store catalog for about $75. Or how about glassware for the kitchen? Chances are you may want something more than the old glassware that has just broke. Again one can look in the Vermont Country Store catalog for Moser glassware made in USA. For children there are the slinky, magnetic toy dogs, the Duncan yo-yo, the toy burp gun, the crystal toy radio kit, and much more. These things help widen children’s imaginations, and these gifts are affordable for many families on a budget these days.
In my view, the holidays should not be a time of buying expensive items that may only last a year or two, but gifts from the heart that will last years. Such gifts need not break anyone’s limited budget, and it is possible to find the right gift for that someone special. In my view that is the true meaning of the holiday season—be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Day of Ashura (in the Muslim calendar), or Buddha’s birthday.
In Favor of More Traditional Gifts
By: Daniel Nardini
To me, the best gifts are those that are actually affordable and have meaning. If you want to give someone some knowledge, go buy a printed book. Books have been around for thousands of years, and in my view they are still a good gift. Besides, long after the Kindle Paperwhite goes on the blink, that book you gave will still be on the shelf for someone to read. Or how about buying a wind-up watch? Might not be a bad idea when your iPhone or even cell phone ceases to function. Wind-up watches are still available, and anyone can find them in the Vermont Country Store catalog for about $75. Or how about glassware for the kitchen? Chances are you may want something more than the old glassware that has just broke. Again one can look in the Vermont Country Store catalog for Moser glassware made in USA. For children there are the slinky, magnetic toy dogs, the Duncan yo-yo, the toy burp gun, the crystal toy radio kit, and much more. These things help widen children’s imaginations, and these gifts are affordable for many families on a budget these days.
In my view, the holidays should not be a time of buying expensive items that may only last a year or two, but gifts from the heart that will last years. Such gifts need not break anyone’s limited budget, and it is possible to find the right gift for that someone special. In my view that is the true meaning of the holiday season—be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Day of Ashura (in the Muslim calendar), or Buddha’s birthday.