I survived the Christmas rush... the souless consumption of consumer goods that marks the end of each year. I guess we all figure we screwed up the rest of the year, so why not just have a big blow-out at then end of the year; spend our money, drink, eat, and thumb our noses at our failures by wracking up huge debt and more stress to follow us into the new year.
Now we are in the post-Christmas madness that means endless return of crap people don't want, the clearance sales, and at least one self-important blow-hard threatening to write corporate because we purposely ruined their kid's Christmas by selling them a faulty toy. WTF?
Stop the madness! How can this be fun? Who actually thinks this is fun? -EO
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
The Christmas Rebellion Starts Here
Here I am. Turkey Day. I always call it Turkey Day because, frankly, I have nothing to be thankful for today.
I worked 15 hours yesterday to get ready for the 5am onslaught of shoppers tomorrow. Thank goodness, I get overtime. Tomorrow I have to be my store at 4am to open by 5am. The mall isn't even opening that early; the mall opens at 6am!
We were handing our flyer touting our ridiculous hours and NOT ONE PERSON said how great it was. Every single person expressed their sympathy that we had to be in that early and some expressed utter contempt for the whole idea of store opening at that hour! Ah, the seeds of rebellion.
The DM and RM both left us messages on the store voice mail to have a wonderful, happy, relaxing Thanksgiving. Is that possible? I slept until 10am today and have to be in bed at 7pm to be even minimally ready for tomorrow! And I am worried about tomorrow! The IT department screwed up that sales and we need to HANDKEY all of the discounts. That is going to take FOREVER. I don't need this crap.
Why do any of us put ourselves through this? I have this strange idea that if we give good prices all through the year, that we can make money all year around and employ people all year around instead of one month out of the year. May be we need to make up a holiday in the summer to rival Christmas and spread the wealth around. I don't know much about economics, but I think that making profit all year around and keeping people employed all year around might be a good thing!
Brian White on Bloggingstocks.com writes that stores open early to let shoppers "rid the shelves and backrooms of any bargain that is available." That is true, but what confuses me is why do companies order huge surpluses of merchandise only to mark them down to ridiculous prices before the product even reach the sales floor and they have to mark the items down to stupidly ridiculous prices after the holiday when the stuff doesn't sell. It seems wasteful for one and do we need all this crap? (I should be in the self storage business, that's for sure!)
Brian also calls this shopping "Black Friday Madness" and compares to pursuit of the "Perfect Bargain" to a "bong hit of epic proportions." How right he is! All the pursuit of saving and sales and the perfect gift to give fuels some narcissistic need to be the center of attention for being the perfect gift giver or the most savvy buyer in the group. As a whole, this country has a problem with over the top consumerism. It's the thrill of the hunt. We are validated by what we have; not who we are or what we give of ourselves.
We go out like stupid sheep, day after day, year after year...buying, buying, buying. Often without purpose. Some stores are beginning to open ON Thanksgiving because families are looking for entertainment after the holiday dinner is done. What ever happened to finding entertainment and joy in just being with our families? What can't we entertain ourselves, but instead demand someone else do it, especially in the form of SHOPPING. And this is where the country is divided. Because people are unable to entertain themselves, I have to give up my Thanksgiving to "entertain" their asses. Wonder why sales people are so rude and surly? It because we are being treated as second class citizens by our own companies, malls, and people not in retail.
I haven't enjoyed a holiday in years. And yes, it is my expectation to go back to school and get some useful education. I can't do this forever.
Of course, I can't go shopping on Black Friday and take advantage of any of the sales. I expect work at least 12 hours on the Day after Thanksgiving and will leave only when I feel like I am babbling or getting ready to collapse.
How many of those early shoppers are only there to score deals in order to run home and it put on Ebay?? Holiday is truly becoming a exercise in profit-making for everyone. And is showcased by a complete absence of real joy and true heartfelt giving.
The December 2006 issue of Reader's Digest has a brief editorial entitled, "Can This Man be Stopped?" The article addresses what is being called the "Christmas Creep". Let me give it to you here, in case, you don't have a chance to read a magazine that is NOT a toy catalog this season.
"Are you like us - exhausted by the idea of Christmas long before December 25th arrives? Hard no to be when the shopping season starts earlier each year. How has this "Christmas Creep" gotten out of control? Consider two well-known home shopping networks now air "Christmas in July" shows - and recently wound up in court fighting over who owned the phrase!
AS much as we reject it, the calculation is a simple one: Holiday sales are now worth up to 30% of many retailers' annual incomes, so why not make the season last?
Luckily, experts say, the constant calender stretching may have peaked. "It's not sustainable." WSU professor Cindy Claycomb says. Well put. After all, who really wants to see Santa in a Speedo??"
It seems like a basic conundrum... are the store opening early because of the demand of the customers or are the customers meeting the demands of the companies by showing up early? Who says this madness is ok and who is driving it? The Companies or the customers. All of this flys in the face of the basic origins of the holiday.
Some one needs to rename the holiday and copyright it so they can make millions. After all, "Christmas" sounds so outdated and doesn't nearly express the true meaning of the holiday! SHOPPING!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS... LET THE REBELLION BEGIN!!! ~Ellie
I worked 15 hours yesterday to get ready for the 5am onslaught of shoppers tomorrow. Thank goodness, I get overtime. Tomorrow I have to be my store at 4am to open by 5am. The mall isn't even opening that early; the mall opens at 6am!
We were handing our flyer touting our ridiculous hours and NOT ONE PERSON said how great it was. Every single person expressed their sympathy that we had to be in that early and some expressed utter contempt for the whole idea of store opening at that hour! Ah, the seeds of rebellion.
The DM and RM both left us messages on the store voice mail to have a wonderful, happy, relaxing Thanksgiving. Is that possible? I slept until 10am today and have to be in bed at 7pm to be even minimally ready for tomorrow! And I am worried about tomorrow! The IT department screwed up that sales and we need to HANDKEY all of the discounts. That is going to take FOREVER. I don't need this crap.
Why do any of us put ourselves through this? I have this strange idea that if we give good prices all through the year, that we can make money all year around and employ people all year around instead of one month out of the year. May be we need to make up a holiday in the summer to rival Christmas and spread the wealth around. I don't know much about economics, but I think that making profit all year around and keeping people employed all year around might be a good thing!
Brian White on Bloggingstocks.com writes that stores open early to let shoppers "rid the shelves and backrooms of any bargain that is available." That is true, but what confuses me is why do companies order huge surpluses of merchandise only to mark them down to ridiculous prices before the product even reach the sales floor and they have to mark the items down to stupidly ridiculous prices after the holiday when the stuff doesn't sell. It seems wasteful for one and do we need all this crap? (I should be in the self storage business, that's for sure!)
Brian also calls this shopping "Black Friday Madness" and compares to pursuit of the "Perfect Bargain" to a "bong hit of epic proportions." How right he is! All the pursuit of saving and sales and the perfect gift to give fuels some narcissistic need to be the center of attention for being the perfect gift giver or the most savvy buyer in the group. As a whole, this country has a problem with over the top consumerism. It's the thrill of the hunt. We are validated by what we have; not who we are or what we give of ourselves.
We go out like stupid sheep, day after day, year after year...buying, buying, buying. Often without purpose. Some stores are beginning to open ON Thanksgiving because families are looking for entertainment after the holiday dinner is done. What ever happened to finding entertainment and joy in just being with our families? What can't we entertain ourselves, but instead demand someone else do it, especially in the form of SHOPPING. And this is where the country is divided. Because people are unable to entertain themselves, I have to give up my Thanksgiving to "entertain" their asses. Wonder why sales people are so rude and surly? It because we are being treated as second class citizens by our own companies, malls, and people not in retail.
I haven't enjoyed a holiday in years. And yes, it is my expectation to go back to school and get some useful education. I can't do this forever.
Of course, I can't go shopping on Black Friday and take advantage of any of the sales. I expect work at least 12 hours on the Day after Thanksgiving and will leave only when I feel like I am babbling or getting ready to collapse.
How many of those early shoppers are only there to score deals in order to run home and it put on Ebay?? Holiday is truly becoming a exercise in profit-making for everyone. And is showcased by a complete absence of real joy and true heartfelt giving.
The December 2006 issue of Reader's Digest has a brief editorial entitled, "Can This Man be Stopped?" The article addresses what is being called the "Christmas Creep". Let me give it to you here, in case, you don't have a chance to read a magazine that is NOT a toy catalog this season.
"Are you like us - exhausted by the idea of Christmas long before December 25th arrives? Hard no to be when the shopping season starts earlier each year. How has this "Christmas Creep" gotten out of control? Consider two well-known home shopping networks now air "Christmas in July" shows - and recently wound up in court fighting over who owned the phrase!
AS much as we reject it, the calculation is a simple one: Holiday sales are now worth up to 30% of many retailers' annual incomes, so why not make the season last?
Luckily, experts say, the constant calender stretching may have peaked. "It's not sustainable." WSU professor Cindy Claycomb says. Well put. After all, who really wants to see Santa in a Speedo??"
It seems like a basic conundrum... are the store opening early because of the demand of the customers or are the customers meeting the demands of the companies by showing up early? Who says this madness is ok and who is driving it? The Companies or the customers. All of this flys in the face of the basic origins of the holiday.
Some one needs to rename the holiday and copyright it so they can make millions. After all, "Christmas" sounds so outdated and doesn't nearly express the true meaning of the holiday! SHOPPING!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS... LET THE REBELLION BEGIN!!! ~Ellie
Thursday, November 16, 2006
I Really, Really Hate Christmas
As December 25th approaches, I am beginning to hate Christmas more and more. Why does everything have to be so DAMN difficult? I'm told I'm getting 500 boxes of merchandise and I get 1000 instead. I can't find enough people to hire and the ones I do have on staff suddenly have amnesia..."What? I never said I could work the day after Thanksgiving!?!"
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
I have a four year degree that I could be using, but instead I've stuck it out in retail. What was supposed to be a part-time gig has become a life sentence. I am sure my parents are so proud of me! Well, it seemed like a good idea a the time. When I graduated from college, there was such a glut of graduates in the market, that people had trouble getting jobs. I had a ready made full-time job just waiting for me! Retail Manager! Oh, lucky me!
We are trying to plan ahead for the holidays. Who is going to run the registers, greet the customers, bag the merchanidse, put out stock? My supervisor's biggest concern is who is going to stock the floor for the day after Christmas; no one wants to stay late on Christmas Eve for THAT! I assured her, it wouldn't be a problem. The customers are just going to return everything they were bought or were given for Christmas so the floor will be filled back up in no time! I mean, does anyone really keep anything they are given??
The worst is having to be the one to tell a customer their gift is crap. You know what I mean! There is inevitably someone who comes in with a gift that was purchased two years ago and is now worth .99 or less. And they get pissed at us! Then they say, "I'll give it charity before I let you have it for .99!" I never got that one. What makes you think I want it back? I absolutely support giving it to charity!
And BOXES! Don't get me started on the boxes. Who started the ridiculous trend of giving out free boxes to wrap gifts in? I can only imagine how much that costs the company to supply free boxes to people to are perfectly capable of going to the store and buying a box or nice gift bag themselves. You'd think the world was going to end if you run out of boxes..."Well, how am I supposed to give a gift if you don't have boxes?!" I work in a very affluent area and the box issue is big. I guess that's how they got to be affluent.
I can't wait to have to mop my floor DAILY to clean up the french fries, sodas, gum, fruit juice, smoothies, cherrioes, and goldfish that will get spilled...everywhere. What happended to the days of "No Food or Drink" in the store? I love have to scrape boogers off my front windows as well. And inevitably, some kid will pee on the floor because either the parents were ignoring him/her or the kid was too engrossed assessing all the possbile loot they could whine for and refused to leave the store, just peeing right there, on the floor. Thank goodness for tile, but parents always treat it like it's MY problem. Hey, housebreak your kid, bitch!
Ah, we are week from all hell breaking loose! Wish me luck! And you can wish me a Merry Christmas if you want, I promised not to sue, yell, whine, complain, or get offended. -Ellie Oxnard
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
I have a four year degree that I could be using, but instead I've stuck it out in retail. What was supposed to be a part-time gig has become a life sentence. I am sure my parents are so proud of me! Well, it seemed like a good idea a the time. When I graduated from college, there was such a glut of graduates in the market, that people had trouble getting jobs. I had a ready made full-time job just waiting for me! Retail Manager! Oh, lucky me!
We are trying to plan ahead for the holidays. Who is going to run the registers, greet the customers, bag the merchanidse, put out stock? My supervisor's biggest concern is who is going to stock the floor for the day after Christmas; no one wants to stay late on Christmas Eve for THAT! I assured her, it wouldn't be a problem. The customers are just going to return everything they were bought or were given for Christmas so the floor will be filled back up in no time! I mean, does anyone really keep anything they are given??
The worst is having to be the one to tell a customer their gift is crap. You know what I mean! There is inevitably someone who comes in with a gift that was purchased two years ago and is now worth .99 or less. And they get pissed at us! Then they say, "I'll give it charity before I let you have it for .99!" I never got that one. What makes you think I want it back? I absolutely support giving it to charity!
And BOXES! Don't get me started on the boxes. Who started the ridiculous trend of giving out free boxes to wrap gifts in? I can only imagine how much that costs the company to supply free boxes to people to are perfectly capable of going to the store and buying a box or nice gift bag themselves. You'd think the world was going to end if you run out of boxes..."Well, how am I supposed to give a gift if you don't have boxes?!" I work in a very affluent area and the box issue is big. I guess that's how they got to be affluent.
I can't wait to have to mop my floor DAILY to clean up the french fries, sodas, gum, fruit juice, smoothies, cherrioes, and goldfish that will get spilled...everywhere. What happended to the days of "No Food or Drink" in the store? I love have to scrape boogers off my front windows as well. And inevitably, some kid will pee on the floor because either the parents were ignoring him/her or the kid was too engrossed assessing all the possbile loot they could whine for and refused to leave the store, just peeing right there, on the floor. Thank goodness for tile, but parents always treat it like it's MY problem. Hey, housebreak your kid, bitch!
Ah, we are week from all hell breaking loose! Wish me luck! And you can wish me a Merry Christmas if you want, I promised not to sue, yell, whine, complain, or get offended. -Ellie Oxnard
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Britney Spears
Sorry, Britney-philes...this blog is not about Britney but it seemed like a good idea; after all, Britney is another cog in the great capitalist machine, same as my main topic. While we are on the subject, when will Britney get a break from the media? Thousands of women marry deadbeats, have babies, and get divorced on a daily basis. THEY aren't on the covers of magazines!
I was surfing other "anti-christmas" web sites and can't quite figure out why we celebrate this holiday in the first place. I know December 25Th marks the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition, but what's the excuse for everyone else? If the number of shoppers in the malls during the holidays were an true indication of Christian believers, the churches would be full every Sunday and the football stadiums empty. But we know that's not the case. Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate the tradition of SHOP TIL YOU DROP this time each year. I think we should call it "Merry Shopmas" instead of "Merry Christmas"! Capitalism took the Christ out of Christmas decades ago.
But why? I think we can't live without the stress in our lives. We can't feel alive without the stress? We don't feel like we're accomplishing anything without the rush of the shopping season?
I, for one, have enough stress! After all, I'm married! My husband has no concept of money and wouldn't put a dirty sock in the laundry even if his life depended on it! Still waiting to get back the $200 he loaned to someone I don't even know and wondering why I always believe him when he says, "This is the LAST tool I need for the garage!"
Why the hell do we put ourselves through this madness every year? I always treasure the Christmas Eve customers who either demand to know why I don't have what they want or the ones who say, "I don't care if it's the wrong [fill in the blank], just give it to me! They can exchange it later!" So what, they'd rather buy CRAP then put any real effort into a gift??
Wanna know the best gift I ever gave? It was when I let myself into my sister's apartment while she was at work and cleaned it. I took out the trash, filled the fridge with food, and bought her a new phone & toy chest for her daughter. It was mid-summer and a total surprise. She was rendered speechless (quite a feat!) and only managed to squeal into the phone when she called me. That meant more then anything to me. And hopefully, to her, too.
On that thought, I need to end my day. Time to go to bed so I can get up early and intercept the lemming-like tide of shoppers that will flood the mall tomorrow. Happy Holidays to You (because someone might sue me if I wished you Merry Christmas!). -Ellie
I was surfing other "anti-christmas" web sites and can't quite figure out why we celebrate this holiday in the first place. I know December 25Th marks the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian tradition, but what's the excuse for everyone else? If the number of shoppers in the malls during the holidays were an true indication of Christian believers, the churches would be full every Sunday and the football stadiums empty. But we know that's not the case. Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate the tradition of SHOP TIL YOU DROP this time each year. I think we should call it "Merry Shopmas" instead of "Merry Christmas"! Capitalism took the Christ out of Christmas decades ago.
But why? I think we can't live without the stress in our lives. We can't feel alive without the stress? We don't feel like we're accomplishing anything without the rush of the shopping season?
I, for one, have enough stress! After all, I'm married! My husband has no concept of money and wouldn't put a dirty sock in the laundry even if his life depended on it! Still waiting to get back the $200 he loaned to someone I don't even know and wondering why I always believe him when he says, "This is the LAST tool I need for the garage!"
Why the hell do we put ourselves through this madness every year? I always treasure the Christmas Eve customers who either demand to know why I don't have what they want or the ones who say, "I don't care if it's the wrong [fill in the blank], just give it to me! They can exchange it later!" So what, they'd rather buy CRAP then put any real effort into a gift??
Wanna know the best gift I ever gave? It was when I let myself into my sister's apartment while she was at work and cleaned it. I took out the trash, filled the fridge with food, and bought her a new phone & toy chest for her daughter. It was mid-summer and a total surprise. She was rendered speechless (quite a feat!) and only managed to squeal into the phone when she called me. That meant more then anything to me. And hopefully, to her, too.
On that thought, I need to end my day. Time to go to bed so I can get up early and intercept the lemming-like tide of shoppers that will flood the mall tomorrow. Happy Holidays to You (because someone might sue me if I wished you Merry Christmas!). -Ellie
I Hate Christmas
I hate Christmas. I hate Christmas! Ok, there I said it.
Now I am sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I searched "anti-christmas" and "i hate christmas" on the web and came up with lots and lots of sites. Some even stating F*** Christmas!
Why do I feel this way? Maybe because I am getting ready to spend the next 6 weeks of my life chained to a shop counter selling toys to frustrated, harried parents and their annoying, sniveling children. Gee, that might be it. When did parenting skills start becoming ranked by how large and how expensive a Christmas a parent could give their Kid? Are you a BAD parent because you aren't willing to risk life and limb to buy your kid the latest, greatest, hottest toy? (I blame that on Cabbage Patch Kids, the scourge of the 80's!)
Yes, I work in a toy store so some of you are thinking that I have brought this on myself. I do accept some of the blame for promoting the capitalist way of life full of materialism and debt. BUT it wasn't always that way. 25 holidays in retail have shown me that.
First off, why do we need a holiday that celebrates shopping? Or better yet, why do we have to celebrate every holiday, no matter how obscure, with shopping? We spend and spend and spend enough on a daily basis putting American credit card debt in the BILLIONS, so why do we need a specific holiday to emphasis that?
Second, why so early? Thanksgiving used to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Then it was Halloween and now it's back-to-school! I knew we were in for it when I saw Reindeer Table linens in Target in AUGUST. Besides, my birthday is in November and I feel completely ripped off. November is just glossed over and treated as a launching pad for December. Next thing you know, November will be struck from the calendar and December will become 60 days long.
It took me years to figure out the Day after Thanksgiving was called "Black Friday" in reference to the accounting term "In the Black", meaning all the stores will make enough money to put their in a positive balance as opposed to being "in the red." I thought they called it Black Friday because it was a horrible @#$%& day to have to work!
Thanksgiving is no longer the busiest shopping day of the year because people are trying to start their shopping but because companies are now whoring themselves out with ridiculous promotions and sales in an effort to capture the customer's last dollar.
On that thought, I need to start my day. Happy Holidays to you (because I'm not allowed to wish anyone a Merry Christmas anymore). -Ellie
Now I am sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I searched "anti-christmas" and "i hate christmas" on the web and came up with lots and lots of sites. Some even stating F*** Christmas!
Why do I feel this way? Maybe because I am getting ready to spend the next 6 weeks of my life chained to a shop counter selling toys to frustrated, harried parents and their annoying, sniveling children. Gee, that might be it. When did parenting skills start becoming ranked by how large and how expensive a Christmas a parent could give their Kid? Are you a BAD parent because you aren't willing to risk life and limb to buy your kid the latest, greatest, hottest toy? (I blame that on Cabbage Patch Kids, the scourge of the 80's!)
Yes, I work in a toy store so some of you are thinking that I have brought this on myself. I do accept some of the blame for promoting the capitalist way of life full of materialism and debt. BUT it wasn't always that way. 25 holidays in retail have shown me that.
First off, why do we need a holiday that celebrates shopping? Or better yet, why do we have to celebrate every holiday, no matter how obscure, with shopping? We spend and spend and spend enough on a daily basis putting American credit card debt in the BILLIONS, so why do we need a specific holiday to emphasis that?
Second, why so early? Thanksgiving used to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Then it was Halloween and now it's back-to-school! I knew we were in for it when I saw Reindeer Table linens in Target in AUGUST. Besides, my birthday is in November and I feel completely ripped off. November is just glossed over and treated as a launching pad for December. Next thing you know, November will be struck from the calendar and December will become 60 days long.
It took me years to figure out the Day after Thanksgiving was called "Black Friday" in reference to the accounting term "In the Black", meaning all the stores will make enough money to put their in a positive balance as opposed to being "in the red." I thought they called it Black Friday because it was a horrible @#$%& day to have to work!
Thanksgiving is no longer the busiest shopping day of the year because people are trying to start their shopping but because companies are now whoring themselves out with ridiculous promotions and sales in an effort to capture the customer's last dollar.
On that thought, I need to start my day. Happy Holidays to you (because I'm not allowed to wish anyone a Merry Christmas anymore). -Ellie
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