Sluggish holiday sales leave retailers uneasy

[Career Prole]

The holiday shopping season is hurtling toward its close, but demand remains soft and inconsistent.

With just 11 days before Christmas - and heading into the last full weekend of shopping - retailers have been steadily easing prices. But a burst of late spending, which saved the last holiday season, has yet to materialize.

The busiest spending day so far remains the Friday after Thanksgiving, the official kickoff of the holiday shopping season. Sales have cooled significantly since then.

<snip>

Luxury retailers have seen booming sales. But dragging down overall sales growth is the key holiday gift category of apparel - particularly at low and moderate price levels - as low- and middle-income consumers struggle.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=677&ncid=749&e=10&u=/usatoday/20041214/bs_usatoday/sluggishholidaysalesleaveretailersuneasy

Wow...what a surprise. I could've sworn I'd heard that the chimp's tax cuts showered booty on everyone in America, yet only the fur & Ferrari crowd is pitching in.

Why do we in the rank and file hate america?

[forintegrity]

1. Hard to buy much when you have less money! DUH!

This is good....hit 'em where it counts...their pocketbooks!

Assholes.

[Deja Q]

22. Corporate execs have no other sensitive spots...

They could be kicked in the goolies all day and not notice or care.

But tap the pocketbook and they squeal like little piggies on the roast.

[Career Prole]

24. As a rule, I get it swallowed in time

but I spat coffee reading that one. :D :thumbsup:

[montana_hazeleyes]

80. LOL

:)

[Tight_rope]

116. Made me spit out my juice...almost choked.

[ohioliberal]

2. Well Duh, it doesn't take a rocket scientist

to figure this one out. With so many people out of work, including myself, who has the extra money to buy expensive gifts. It takes everything my husband makes just to pay the bills. We wouldn't have been able to buy anything this year if we didn't sell one of our cars. God I hate *.:mad:

[TommyO]

10. Even with a job...

my family has decided to make this a much smaller, and less expensive, Christmas overall. We're still getting together for a huge family meal, but have strictly limited how much we're going to spend, and have gotten very creative as a result. And not a stitch of stuff bought at Wally-Mart!

[pdurod1]

98. Santa's elves' jobs outsourced to the East pole sweatshops

Turned off cable/satellite TV, dumped the insurance on two vehicles, home improvement projects are on hold indefinitely, drained the 401K's . And stupid American corporations wonder why we don't buy their crap anymore. They will suffer their own wrath. If I move, I'll move to a blue state. I see republicans.

[Mari333]

3. Heat the house or buy some crap from a mall....a choice

Heat the house and buy food gets priority...presents under the tree are groceries for many this year...

[dweller]

6. i love the homemade gifts

sitting around the fire through the holidays, munching away on the goodies...

making all my gifts this year. Cookies, Boston Brown Bread, and candle holders.

:hi: Mari , how've you been?

dp

[Mari333]

7. One day at a time...

and not doing Xmas this year for my own sanity =)

[TheCentepedeShoes]

59. Hugs to you, Mari

:grouphug:

[goddess40]

17. Love homemade presents

Goddess40's mom here. My favorite gifts are homemade goodies and the things my younger grandchildren make, i.e. pictures, ash trays (I don't smoke), cookies, etc. I told my children not to buy me any gifts this year. If they really must I asked them to buy an animal from Heifer International. I did buy presents for the little grandchildren but the older ones are getting money.

[kineneb]

106. homemade is all I can afford

I handspun and then knitted my gifts this year. If they don't like knit socks and hats, tough! Hubby can't work and health care eats up a lot of our income.

[Delphinus]

19. Yes, ma'am Mari.

That's the choices: food and heat or "crap".

[Lorien]

130. This DU group can help:

The Economic Activism and Progressive living group"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

We buy blue, when we buy at all. Lots of money saving and blue buying tips there.

[LiberalinNC]

4. There is only one person to thank for this....

The jerk they re-elected!

[UpInArms]

5. Welcome to DU, LiberalinNC!

:hi:

And not to pick nits, but this jerk was not "elected" in 2000 - he was "selected".

Also, am not so certain he was "elected" this time either - more questions than answers :eyes:

[LiberalinNC]

12. Yes...

I thought about that after I posted! The weasel, as I like to call him, is such a scammer, lair and OH yes, and doing the "lord's Work" :eyes:

BTW - Thanks for the welcome. Am happy a friend of mine sent here! I finally feel amongst friends! :)

[Child_Of_Isis]

38. Think they will catch on?

Probably not ;-)

[yorkiemommie1]

39. they'll give * a pass on everything

just as they have for the past 4 years. they will buy every lie and blame their misfortunes on 'liberals'.

they are refusing to learn. and i mean refusing. my husband will not even physically touch the LATimes. my friend leaves the table unless we're discussing sports, then she knows all the details. both of these folks listen to hateradio.

[yardwork]

77. Welcome to DU!

I'm a liberal in Durham!

[flygal]

8. Oh Wah! Walmart drove manufacturing jobs away now no one can

afford even their cheap shit! There is just way too much cheap crap at Walmart - people do not need that much junk when they can't afford food or heat!

[lonestarnot]

15. That junk made by child slave labor!

[Kber]

16. There's an old story about Henry Ford showing the head of the union

around a completely automated car factory years ago. With a sarcastic grin he asked the union man "So, you think you can organize these workers?"

"I don't know Henry." the man replied. "You think you can get them to buy cars?"

[peacebird]

21. great story - very apropos today too

people in america earn too much according to big business, we're too expensive to employ. but if we're unemployed or even just underemployed - well who's gonna have the money to buy their products?

Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do. but don't BUY unless it is truly needed, and don't buy from any major chain or business if you can get it from a mom & pop shop. For the agribusinesses consider this - the closer to the real product the less profit they make - so buy fresh veggies instead of frozen with sauces. Buy dried beans instead of canned, etc....

fresh is better anyhow! and cheaper.... Starve the beast whereever possible!

[ProfessorGAC]

60. Remember, However. . .

. . .that Henry was castigated by his fellow tycoons for paying workers too much money. Ford's motivation was that he wanted workers who could afford to BUY the cars they were building. I dont' think Ford was ever quite that shortsighted.

Might have played some hardball at times, but remember also, the unionizing of his plants was something he took personally, because he WASN'T paying pauper wages. So, his problems with unions were more personal than financial. He never understood why his workers unionized when they were already getting paid more than everyone else.

So, let's not overslam Henry. He had the sense to know the middle class was where he was going to get the butter for his bread, not from millions of underpaid workers.
The Professor

[TahitiNut]

85. Different Henry, methinks.

It was the Fascist Henry (the first) who raised workers' pay when they couldn't afford to buy the products they were making. That was, I believe, back in the 20's. The Deuce (grandson) is the apocryphal fan of automation, I believe. The Deuce has NEVER been regarded as much more than a self-indulged moron, imho. His grandfather probably did more harm than good. Having the Pinkertons crack union-orgainzer skulls is one of the more blatant abuses of civil rights ... something fairly consistent with his adoration of Hitler and Mussolini.

I may be biased, since my family was close friends with Walter and May Reuther for many years.

[qanda]

9. I haven't purchased even one thing

My poor children may learn the true meaning of Christmas this year. Things are so tight right now. I just heard a caller on C-SPAN recommend a reality show that gets politicians to come and live with an average American and see the financial struggle we are facing.

[lonestarnot]

14. Fuck that...No repulsives living with ME!

[fertilizeonarbusto]

31. Oh, they can come and live with me

I'd like to see them do a couple of months on my budget.

[Career Prole]

33. Yeah...let 'em do some "hard time" with the real people.

"Whattya in for, kid?"

"Aw, I was born here...how 'bout you?"

[Tight_rope]

121. LMBAO...I love my fellow DUer's...Always honest and true.

I love the fact that we tell it like it is. No pussyfooting around the issues on this forum.

[lonestarnot]

70. They'll steal you blind, be nothin left! no wall paper, toilet paper,

no common sense, no dignity, no American pride...just empty beer cans and stupidity left when they're gone. They'll probably rape your dog if you have one, and then convince you on the way out, that you really voted for bushitler, and when you argue they'll call the men in the white suits and file for an incompetency hearing.

[AllyCat]

88. Me neither!

I haven't bought a single thing. I have absolutely NO money. I'm certainly not the only one and better off than many.

While I do NOT wish anyone to be out of work, I have this smug little feeling of "I told you so" going everytime I drive past another bigbox with empty parking lots. Stupid B*** contributors...happy now morans?

[GoSolar]

11. This is good news.

Hope it continues throughout the season!

[jobycom]

30. Putting people out of work is not good news

I don't understand why anyone would celebrate this. I mean, it's obvious to anyone with some understanding of business and economics that this would be the result of Bush's economic policies and tax cuts, so I feel a bit of vindication.

But no joy. This is horrible. The nation's economy is tanking, people are suffering, and the Republicans and the media are continuing to lie to them. The media's feel-good-vote-Republican message is just as disgusting in the face of what's happening as the old Pravda's similar message propping up the USSR.

I'd rather be proven wrong and see wealth and prosperity break out all over as a result of Republican policies, despite all logic and historical precedence. I have no joy in being proven right.

The only bright side is that the people who are suffering will begin to understand that they are being lied to, and maybe we can turn back before it's too late. But it's still sad. Just four years ago we were the envy of world history, now we are on life support.

[GoSolar]

49. I don't think that putting people out of work is good news.

However, people not shopping is good for a variety of reasons:
- Better for the environment.
- It will hurt corporate interests, which are the biggest * backers.
- Maybe the media will wake up and start reporting on unemployment and the disasterous policies of *.

(And just as a side note, I would rather see people be able to have high-paying professional jobs, and not only low-wage, seasonal, service sector jobs. Relying on service sector holiday shopping to bolster the economy and pretend things are ok is not going to lead anywhere for the long term.)

[jobycom]

53. Well, it works that way

People spend less money, so companies are earning less, so people get unemployed.

As for people having high-paying jobs, jobs are only high-paying in relation to lower paying jobs. There is no absolute value to money or labor. If you gave everybody jobs making over 100K a year, then that would become a low-income wage, and high income wages would maove way up.

So these low-paying wage jobs are here to stay. The ideal situation is that they are used as stepping stones to higher incomes, or as temporary gap measures for the unemployed, or as suplemental income.

And people will lose their high-paying jobs, too, if no one buys anything this Christmas. High paying jobs produce something, and that has to be sold. If it isn't sold, then there is no longer any need for the people producing, designing, engineering, marketing, managing, supervising and administrating that product.

I'd like to see a redirection of the economy, too, into less frivolous landfill fodder and more necessary quality of life production. But I don't want to see the economy collapse to get us there.

[kineneb]

107. In an ideal world...

this is the way things would work. Unfortunately, the current bunch of Scheisskoepfe want us all to work for third-world wages. This is the "race-to-the-bottom" economic theory. They forgot, though, that when all the good-paying jobs are gone, no one is left to purchase anything except for the extremely wealthy. It becomes a downward spiral. Add to this the decline of the dollar, and we have a recipe for disaster.

Having nothing left to lose, I get to sit on the sidelines and watch the train wreck.

[Career Prole]

119. "High paying jobs produce something, and that has to be sold."

Right.
Tell 'em that in China...or India...or Vietnam.

"I'd like to see a redirection of the economy, too, into less frivolous landfill fodder and more necessary quality of life production. But I don't want to see the economy collapse to get us there."

Come up with a better way then...but make it snappy. Most of us our out of money and patience.
Lead us to the Promised Land.

[Tight_rope]

123. Jobycon....I'm not sure what country you are living in....but

Your comment, "And people will lose their high-paying jobs, too, if no one buys anything this Christmas. High paying jobs produce something, and that has to be sold. If it isn't sold, then there is no longer any need for the people producing, designing, engineering, marketing, managing, supervising and administrating that product."

First, the days of "high-paying jobs" is gone. Companies simple are not going to pay someone, anyone a high salary when they can one person a low salary to do 2 jobs nowadays (and that is what is happening).

Second, the "high paying jobs" such as those in the technology, automobile and other manufacturing jobs have been "OUTSOURCED".

Third, because of "OUTSOURCING", America no longer produces, designs, engineers, markets, manages, supervises and administrators any product (or should I say VERY few products...ie WMD)."

AMERICA HAD SOLD ITSELF TO THE DEVIL...AND HE IS WINNING.

[Career Prole]

52. "The only bright side is that the people who are suffering

will begin to understand that they are being lied to, and maybe we can turn back before it's too late."

That my friend is a huge up-side, and when you consider fully the totality of what's at stake with each year these slimeballs remain in power economic upset is a very small price to pay.
We celebrate for the future of mankind, not for the tanking of Daddy Warbucks' stocks.

[jobycom]

54. So you want to kill the village in order to save it?

Or maybe just wound it?

I understand your point, I really do, but I can't buy into it. It's too Robespierrean to want people to suffer for the ultimate good.

[Career Prole]

69. Put it in the context of another war of choice, if that helps.

Is it worth tightening the collective belt to keep those people alive?
Work with me here...I don't understand your objection.

[jobycom]

75. No, still the same objection

Voluntarily tightening the belt is fine. Cheering because someone else can't buy food is not fine. If you think that a bit of want will make people more likely to oppose the current war, or future wars, you're wrong. It's more likely to have the opposite effect. It almost always does.

You're celebrating over people suffering. There's no way to spin that positively. It's the same logic that Bush is using in Iraq-- we have to kill some folks to save the rest. I don't buy that.

If it turns out that the only way people realize they are being lied to is to suffer, then so be it. But I won't cheer for the suffering, and I'll do my little part to help people in trouble, not push them further into it. To me, that's being a Democrat.

[Career Prole]

81. As you will, then.

I must add your method's been spectacularly ineffective thus far.

Half the voting population in this country just chose a president who went to war for no good reason at all and killed thousands upon thousands of people, and he's of a mind to do it again.

If given an opportunity and a friendly court he will change our very way of life in such a fashion that we won't be able to reverse it for generations.

He will damage the environment in such a way that we may never reverse it.

In the past election half this country declared those things don't matter to them at all. That means only the pocketbook matters to them and if that needs squeezing to prevent the other, far greater damage, from occurring then squeeze I will...and I'll cheer at every corporate yelp of pain.
Democrats will get hungry too but we consider it sacrifice, not needless deprivation.

You leave this guy and the people he represents in office and you may well be jeopardizing the future of this country.

Happy shopping.

[jobycom]

99. The corporations aren't yelping in pain

They are quite happy and content. They won't lose profits, they will just cut costs. And costs, to them, are workers. That's who will be yelping in pain.

[NuttyFluffers]

100. they can't do it forever. eventually all fails.

and obviously they are yelping in pain instead of quite happy or content or the article you just saw at the top of this topic wouldn't be there. stop twisting in the wind and come down and face facts. it's either this or death, and this administration is rapidly running, along with a large death cult in america, into a longing embrace with death which will drag the whole world with it.

i won't help them. tough if that hurts your sensibilities.

[jobycom]

114. Doesn't hurt my sensibilities, it just makes you the very thing I'm

fighting against. It makes you the equivalent of Bush. He doesn't care who gets hurt when he pursues his ideology, either.

[Career Prole]

118. Explain your painless way!

Compare boycotters to shrub and that makes you what I'm fighting against.
Quit your pissing and moaning about all the "pain" we're causing and spit out this painless method of yours!
Go ahead, we're waiting. If it's a better way we'll give it a shot.

[sendero]

122. Puhleeaasseee...

... not the old "your down on their level" saw.

We better get down on their level pretty soon. We better learn how to say the tough things that need to be said that only Reps seem to have the guts to say.

We'd better or we'll never win another election.

We didn't make the game, may not like the game, but we damn well better learn to play it or we are toast.

As for all the poor people getting hurt - where the fuck were they on election day? I'm sorry, I'm tired of trying to save idiots from themselves - this is what they wanted, this is what they get. The voted to give a man with less than 50% approval rating another term. Can you get any more schizophrenic than that?

It's not that I look forward to the pain to come, it's that I understand an element of human nature that seems to escape you. Simply put, people don't see a problem until they are on the ground with a foot on their neck. Anyone with any honesty realizes that Bush*'s economic policies are beyond stupid - but not the rank and file American. When Joe Sixpak Sheeple "don't let those queers marry" finally has disaster on his head, then and only then will he look around and figure out why. Until he does - we can't fix it.

Sorry - if you've ever worked at a big company you'd know this firsthand. No problem is a problem until it cannot be handled with spin. Over the next few years this economy is going to it's knees IMHO. I don't have to like it, I'm just looking for the bright side. The Reps are not going to be able to blame this on us.

[Career Prole]

110. We'll keep them from cutting jobs by shopping more?

I guess you've fallen for it hook, line, and sinker...and if you put that hook, line, and sinker on your Walmart charge card they'll throw in a tackle box at 10% off.
Sorry to sound sarcastic. I know you mean well, but millions have already lost their jobs, and the rest are seeing their pay and/or benefits steadily erode.
A part of this is from small businesses which were struggling but they were struggling because of the giants choking them out of customers, and the giants are cutting workers to undercut the small businesses. It all boils down to avarice, and since the government will not intercede on our behalf we need to make our own repairs.
We will win, because united we are bigger than they are.
As I said, happy shopping.

[jobycom]

115. You don't sound sarcastic

You sound immature. You want the economy to go bad just so you can win, but you seem to have forgotten the ultimate goal. If it's just to get your way, then you're right, you and I have nothing in common. If your ultimate goal is make the world a better place, then you shouldn't rejoice over suffering just because you hope the suffering will bring about a better system some day. The suffering could just as easily bring about the opposite of what you hope, especially if more people on our side have your point of view. People who are down aren't going to side with a party shouting "Yippee! You lost your job!" no matter how much to blame the other side is for their pain.

Sorry, I think you've fallen into the oldest ideological trap in the book. Read up on the French Revolution to understand how the best of intentions can go astray when you want to win so bad you forget what you're fighting for.

[Career Prole]

117. Ah, and now the insults begin. :-)

Please...tell me your better way. Explain yourself. This was your second attempt at a comparison between a simple boycott and the French Revolution.
You seem to be getting caught up in your own fantasy.
No one is storming the Bastille. We're simply refusing to spend money we can no longer spare.

Where the corporations haven't cut our jobs they've cut our hours or cut our pay or cut our damned benefits, yet they (and apparently you) are demanding that we spend more in order to save the economy and keep our jobs. Screw you, with all due respect.

It doesn't take much foresight to see this trend can't go on forever, and only a trust-fund baby (or perhaps Marie Antoinette?) would think that it could.

We've got future generations we have to worry about.
If that causes inconvenience in your generation please pardon the ripples in your harmony, civilization isn't always as comfy as we'd like.
If you're that concerned for your portfolio, may I suggest investing in the up-scale shops rather than with Walmart.

[Tight_rope]

124. Jobycom...It seems like you are living in lalaland!

It's amazing that you can actually believe that by American's continuing to shop when they don't have a job or money that it will help them in the end. Are you mad?

Don't forget American's were buying. And still their jobs went away. You can't buy if you don't have a job or money. It's as simple as that. You sound like a credit card company who just keeps upping it's cardholders credit limit even though they owe over $25,000 and are only making the minimum monthly payment of $50.

[athenap]

84. Why I'm feeling vindicated by this

I, for one, am not celebrating anyone else not being able to buy food. What is vindicating for me to see is the lack of buying frenzy that is characterizing this season's retail. Wal-Mart reports that its grocery division is doing as well as ever, but its consumer goods are down. So people are still buying food as much as they ever were, inasmuch as these kinds of reports indicate.

Why am I feeling rather vindicated, and why am I doing my part by making this a lean holiday? Because it shows that through choice or necessity, people are spending less. The trends in buying show that when people have plenty of money, they're more willing to spend. This lack of spending on the average joe's part sends a strong, unavoidable message to the administration--your economic policies are not working. Joe Average is not being showered by the trickle-downs from the wealthy. Joe's not spending. He's losing his confidence in his future solvency.

[Tight_rope]

125. Bravo....Very well put...I hope Jobycom understands your comments

But I'm not holding my breath.

[GoSolar]

58. Thanks, CP!

Well said.

[lonestarnot]

13. Oh yeah, this is comforting for me, the one not celebrating

nut'n this year for the first time in my life. Just buying what I need, food and the usual. Biatch's outsourcing everything but the kitchen sink, and it's on the block!

[CountAllVotes]

18. well tough titty *!

No money being spent here either. I have some Xmas cards I never sent out that I bought 3 years ago. I addressed these and went to get some stamps at the post office. All that they had were the flag stamps which I purchased and I intend to put one on each envelope upside down being it is a sign of distress. Our country is definitely in a state of distress alright.

No gifts, etc. I just got the bill for the property insurance yesterday; going up another 30% for this next year.

The horn of plenty has run dry * and its thanks to you and your never ending evil wars that you have started. Ho ho ho ... :grr:

and Merry f'ng Christmas ... :puke:

[Career Prole]

25. "...got the bill for the property insurance yesterday;"

"going up another 30% for this next year."

Ah yes, probably due to the under-funded "No Child Left Behind" mandates...about the only thing that actually "trickled down" to the average Joe.

[Deja Q]

20. Uh-oh spaghettio. Is korporate amer'ka finally realizing that they really

DO NEED THE MIDDLE CLASS?

Their greed is thankfully killing themselves along with the rest of us.

[TexasChick]

50. And, I say let them tank! Didn't a Repuketard stewardess or something

tell people at an airport that they didn't need the blue states or didn't want them back in the US or something? This is similar. If they want to get rid of the middle class, so be it, but don't expect them nice sales projections!


Edited for Freeptardian-type spelling.

[Beetwasher]

23. "Luxury retailers have seen booming sales"

Kinda says it all, doesn't it?

"One more ivory backscratcher for me please and NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

[Career Prole]

32. "...and NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

That's okay...I like my dioxin straight up with a V-8 chaser. :eyes:

[Tight_rope]

126. Great!...Ferrari's, fur coats and Dom Perignon sales are up.

We should all be so happy that the rich will have a Merry Fucking Christmas.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

26. let's start calling it a "republican christmas"

remake the movie "it's a wonderful life" and george bush is shown what life would be like if he were never born. that would truly be wonderful.

[sarahlee]

103. don't use the "R" word

"Cheap Labor Conservatives' Christmas"

[catmandu57]

27. It's looking bare under the tree

here. I don't need more crap though, it'll be easier to move on after the forclosure.

[MissB]

28. I have enough money

But I have no desire to feed to corporate machine. :shrug:

I wandered around a few stores on Saturday. I picked up a bunch of stuff and looked at it, and put it all back. I just didn't care enough to buy anything. There are plenty of good deals out there - but I don't give a damn.

We've already told our family (with the exception of our children) that we're not giving gifts this year. Our kids are getting science toys, so I'm not feeling too bad about spending money on them.

[llmart]

34. Me, too.

I have the money to buy but refuse to. Don't need any more "stuff." I like to go through life unburdened with "stuff." It's way more serene to live that way. I see my co-workers working themselves all into a tizzy because they don't have enough time to shop. I quietly sit back and see how stressed out they are - some working full time to pay for the crap they buy and resell at garage sales a year later. How absolutely stupid! I make sure I tell them in the course of our conversations that I have no debt and they look at me like I fell off the planet Mars. They just don't get it.

I refuse to help the economy. Sorry. I want it to fail and I want because that's the only thing that will get these idiots to see how wrong the Republican policies are for our country. War, war, and more war will never make us a strong country.

[trogdor]

55. Me too.

I hate Christmas shopping anyway. This year, nothing really grabs me. The motivation is gone.

The family back in KY all got local cider mill stuff - stuff you just can't get in the Bluegrass State. I'd send Saranac Beer if it was allowed. I just can't see buying junk just to be buying it, even if is Christmas.

Old Navy says it's time to stockpile "emergency" presents. Bullshit. If I need another present, there's always New York wine, and we always have a couple of bottles lying around. Just stick a bow on it. It kicks ass, and is always well-received.

[SOS]

29. Now that the loan shark tactics

are becoming known, people are being more careful with credit cards.
28% interest used to be called usury, but now it's called "your new rate".
We won't be buying anything until the Visa gangsters get their vig in full.

[texpatriot2004]

35. I am not buying one thing this season. Boycott on shopping

I am only buying necessities. Like others have said here, when you don't have the extra money, duh?

[HockeyMom]

36. Tax Cuts

I read report today which said business at the UPSCALE retailers is BOOMING. It is the middle to low range retail stores who are struggling. So who is surprised at that? Tax cuts for the million airs and billionaires is working. LOL

[yorkiemommie1]

44. i read that one too

i felt like they were thumbing their noses in my face. but i've seen luxury cars in the 99cent store parking lot,too.

i did spend money on gifts but not luxuries. jeans, tshirts, books (orwell) judy collins' 'democracy' cd (barnes/noble), (to prepare my daughter for what's to come). buying what i can on ebay but if the seller looks 'red' i don't bid. the only luxury is tickets to Les Mis for the inspiration.



one of my favorite lines from the show: "where is the anger in the land?" where indeed.

[durablend]

74. It's the way of the "Royal * Monarchy"

And you're not the only one who gets livid whenever they talk like that.

I always get a vision of the party going on at the royal castle where only the elite are invited and there's the angry mob outside who either gets pissed on from the balcony by the royal guests or just gets the fire hose turned on them.

While you're trying to save up enough to buy this week's groceries, they're using $100 bills as kindling...

[yorkiemommie1]

95. we get the crumbs because that's all we deserve

remember what bush said (and i bet still says) about the poor? that they are lazy? every time i watch a version of the Christmas Carol, I see Scroogepublicans. Can they not see themselves?


i wouldn't have spent a cent on christmas this year except for the fact that my daughter had a serious car accident (the term 'brain surgery' has been used) and had to quit her old job because of the two hour drive to the San Fernando valley and still, still she managed to convince her friends to vote for Kerry! Her poor totalled car has the Kerry sticker still on it! the kid deserves a few things under the tree just for that.

my freeper husband has still not learned that bush has no use for him any more, now that he got his vote!

[lonestarnot]

72. YOU BE DA ONE TEXPATRIOT

:bounce:

[maxsolomon]

37. may this be the worst retail season ever.

irrational consumption must collapse before an authentic american culture can be rebuilt.

[texpatriot2004]

42. Amen, I hope it is.

[TexasBushwhacker]

40. I've never seen so much CRAP that I didn't want

I'm living on unemployment checks right now, so I hardly have money to burn, but I went shopping for some new work clothes this weekend (you know, for WHEN I get a job!). Good grief! Rack after rack after rack of CRAPPY goods made overseas, and I'm not talking Wal-Mart. I don't even set foot in that place. I'm talking the places where middle class folks shop - Penneys, Foleys, Sears, etc. CRAP, CRAP, CRAP, and TONS of it. No one else is buying it either!

Oh, and my favorite 100% POLYESTER! CRAP CRAP CRAP!!! And this poor gal isn't buying it.

[One_of_8]

41. I've mostly opted out of Christmas shopping

1. Don't have much money to spend anyway, and

2. In my own small way, I want to send a message that our economy is floudering under this pResident.

I bought Fair Trade coffee, tea and other products to give to my family, plus I made several donations to Meals on Wheels, Hospice, and a local vets group in memory of several other family members. I bought a used Gameboy for my son, and I have spent about $50 at Target in Christmas-related items. But that's about it.

[texpatriot2004]

43. I like your style. I feel the same way and I am in the same boat.

Fair trade coffee and charity to good causes...that's what it's all about...or should be.

[Piperay]

90. I have opted out of Christmas

this time basically totally, have no spirit...another 4 years of chimp will do that to a person. :cry:

Nobody will be getting any bucks from me even though I have them, I am keeping them as a way to survive the next 4 years.

[texpatriot2004]

94. I know how you feel. I have opted out too. 1st time in my life and

I have known some hard candy Christmas seasons. This one takes the cake. First time, or maybe the second that I haven't put up a tree. I think it's beyond finances, it doesn't feel like Christmas at all. All the reminders of Christmas, mostly the lights, just annoy me. Like everyone is going on and the world is falling apart. It's pathetic. Then there's chimpy sending 2 million Christmas cards on our dime and his wife decorating...the decadence to me smacks of Marie Antoinette. Let them eat cake. It's disgusting. The commercialism which bothers me every friggin year, more each year it seems...forget it. I am not buying a damn thing. They won't get one red cent from me. I will hopefully find it in my heart to bake a birthday cake for the baby Jesus (even though his birthday isn't in December, how odd).

[kineneb]

108. Don't forget what happened to dear Marie A.

She and quite a few of her friends became 9 inches or so shorter after a brief visit to Madame Giullotine. Remember the Bastille!

Hand-made is the theme of my Christmas, got a free tree from family, knitted stuff, not having a fancy dinner...maybe a frozen lasagne as a treat!

[texpatriot2004]

111. Yes, well there is that ending, your're right.

Have a blessed homemade Christmas. May all your treats be merry.

[Lorien]

131. Here's a forum you'll enjoy:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[Sideways]

45. Gifts 4 Peyton And The Rest Of The Money To The Staff At Our Compound

Mr Sideways, daughter Peyton age 3, and I live in a 12 family compound in Sicily Italy. It is exclusively ex-pats most working with ST Micro Chip. The place is nice and the staff is wonderful but the owners treat them pretty shabbily. We would leave but ST contracts with the joint so here we are.

I always tip the staff each month. There are 15 people who are regular staff. For Christmas this year Mr and I decided we would give the staff the money we would spend on each other. These people make between 4 and 6 Euros an hour that is real crap.

I gave Slyvestro and Lillianna (handyman and maid) their envelope last evening. You would have thought I gave them my child they both started crying.

Sorry Mr. Corporation go shit in your hat.

[lonestarnot]

73. I wouldn't buy one thing! Not nut'n nut'n nut'n

Even if I had Bill Gates bank accounts in my mattresses!

[ckramer]

46. I only brought a $300 computer this year

by taking advantage of the thanksgiving sales. It's a barebone machine with no operating system and no softwares on it (a specifal way to screw Microsoft).

And then I installed the newest version of Linux (Fedora Core 3) on it (it comes with everything you need on a computer). Now it runs fast and looks 10 times better than my old Window machine!

I love it.

[yorkiemommie1]

47. we're having ourselves a merry

'LITTLE christmas'. They're having themselves a BIG one.

[ginnyinWI]

48. If they wanted me to spend money this Christmas

then they shouldn't have made me depressed by stealing the election! My heart ain't in it, this year!

[Megahurtz]

51. I like the starve the beast idea

corporations have been pushing gift sales FOR YEARS and we've all fell for their ruse.

The commercialization of this holiday makes me sick :puke:

We should just boycott 'em all.

[Logansquare]

57. Yes, let's starve the OTHER beast... n/t

[Logansquare]

56. We're not buy gifts this year, and maybe never again for Xmas

It was getting too stressful, too materialistic, too everything. We will entertain with food and drink, and that's it.

[Spacemom]

61. We've never been big on Christmas

Not being Christian, it's just never been a big deal for us.

We do put up a tree and exchange small gifts. Mostly books and clothes for the kids.

I'm sorry to see so many people hurting this year. Kids don't understand that daddy being laid off means Santa doesn't visit this year. :(

Maybe this will be a wake up call for some people. I can hope.

[Massachusetts]

62. STARVE THE BEAST!

If we can't make enough noise and changes with OUR VOTES the lets do it with OUR wallets.:toast:

[Spike from MN]

63. The stores were empty

when I did my shopping. Yes, I did do some Xmas shopping so you can flame the hell out of me for that but like others, I cut way back compared to what I would normally buy. Anyway, I was astounded that the stores were almost completely empty every single time I went shopping. Sears had maybe 20-30 cars in a mall where I typically have to drive around for 15-20 minutes in the hopes of finding a parking spot. At another mall, I normally end up having to park on the street if I go there anytime between Thanksgiving and Xmas because the lot is full. On Saturday I had no trouble finding a spot close to the door. The stores have been almost entirely empty and the merchandise is all well-stocked. Normally things have been picked over long before now so it's very odd to see this. The retailers are definitely taking a hit this holiday season. With good reason. Namely the Bushco economy.

[NuttyFluffers]

101. *flame, flame!*

...... well, this would've been a picture of a yule log on fire, but somehow i couldn't find one for over 10 minutes. so....

*imagine burning lumber here*

[Spike from MN]

112. I'll accept that flame

because I deserve it. But in my defense I only bought for three people and it was all practical stuff -- clothes, books, and DVDs. OK the DVDs can be considered luxury items but the people I bought them for would have bought them anyway. I ordered them online from a place in Canada so that must count for something. ;)

I would have done the total boycott but I didn't want to make my Mom suffer because of *. I would have bought the clothes for her anyway as she has no way to get out shopping so the only stuff she gets is what my sister and I send her in the mail. She needed everything I gave her. Trust me. And she absolutely hates * so I hope you would give her bonus points for that. ;)

Aside from that, I'm a marketer's worst nightmare. I pay my bills and buy food and that's it. If I don't absolutely need it I don't buy it. I never eat out and don't go to movies or anything like that. I may go to a bar once or twice a year to get together with friends but that's it. I hate the marketers and refuse to play their game. Screw 'em. They get nothing from me.

[rinsd]

64. Online buying is booming....

...but its not enough of the overall percentage to make a dent.

[noshenanigans]

65. I was in Sam's Club

(Not happy about that place, but they don't have Costco here.) There was a gigantic stack of those child size Hummers, and a dad was pushing his cart with his son in it past them. The son's eyes lit up and he started *whining* "Dadddddyyy.. I waaaaaannnnntt thatttt". And his dad looked at the price ($250-ish) and just sighed and kept going.

I'm glad that kid's not getting his toy Hummer.

[lonestarnot]

71. That's right support bushitler team... Sam and Wally they both want You!

[Piperay]

91. Uh

the poster said they were not happy to have to be in there.... :shrug:

[lonestarnot]

93. So not happy? Shop elsewhere, no one breaking any legs to make

anyone shop at Sams that I know of yet.

[IHeart1993]

66. I brought almost all of my presents online

The Internet could very well bring down going to the Mall, except to visit Santa!

[Spike from MN]

67. Good point regarding the online buying

but has it really gone up that much since last year? All the stores I referred to were absolutely packed last year around this time but this year they're all empty. I was thinking it was due to the economy.

Of course, part of it might be due to the election too. Last year we had hope that * would get kicked out and a Dem would take over and straighten things out. But once * stole the election, maybe people started finally figuring out that the economy is going to get a LOT worse before it gets better and thus are cutting back on spending. (Note: by "people" I mean people in general, not those here at DU who seem to be more aware of *'s economic impact than perhaps those in the general population.)

[phasev]

68. I'm only buying a few things

I'm buying a few presents for very close relatives (mostly my fiancee's side of the family) I'm getting my fiancee a present from a small mom-n-pop BLUE store.

That's it. I'm not supporting these jerks any longer.

Food
Clothing
Shelter

[genieroze]

76. Well, got no job, got no money. What do they expect?. eom

[corker]

78. ha ha

to the retailers

[jimshoes]

79. I'm not going to shop this year at all

I am into recycling used stuff. So when the step daughter and step son brought over a little rocking chair for their new daughter (with the intentions of repainting it since someone had thrown it out) I competely stipped off the old paint and found the chair was made out of a beautiful light maple. I sanded and stained it and put 2 coats of urethane on it and it looks better than brand new. I hope they like it.

[texpatriot2004]

96. I am not shopping either. What a thoughtful thing you did with

the chair. I bet it is beautiful. I bet the child will love it. I have done some of that work and it's tedious at times but the end result is so worth it.

[Catchawave]

82. Tell the retailers not to worry.....

...I don't start "shopping" til the 20th.

[Maeve]

83. But watch announced profits be higher

Stores haven't hired as many holiday employees this year--try getting help in a store and you'll KNOW! So they will squeak by with decent profits anyway.
(Seriously--I stood in the middle of an upscale mall Penney's store and yelled "Anyone work this department?"--no response)

[wildwww2]

86. Enron style of running our country is catching up with retailers.

Next Chirstmas they will really be crying in their oxycontin.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[geniph]

87. We've had to scale way, way back

and we were never anywhere near as overboard as a lot of Americans at Xmas - we never bought $300 pieces of jewelry or electronics, anything like that - but this year, we've decided to give each other and each of the boys ONE present - and the presents are all something very modest, like a book or a CD. That's it. No elaborate dinners, no "stocking stuffer" crap, no candy or similar junk. We're not having a tree, either - we just don't have the heart for it after Black Tuesday (Nov. 2).

I've literally bought nothing this year. Usually, all my shopping is done before Thanksgiving (I HATE shopping during the annoying-music-and-horrendous-crowds season), but this year, I'll order a couple books and CDs mail order and call it good. I didn't even leave the house on Buy Nothing Day or any other day that weekend.

[Piperay]

89. I'm not hurting financially but

I want to keep it that way so I'm not blowing a bunch of money on crap that neither I nor anyone else needs. Also I am so down in the dumps about this election that I just can't get into the holiday mood and haven't even put up a tree or anything. :-(

[texpatriot2004]

97. I'm not in the Christmas spirit either No tree here either n/t

[lanlady]

92. just came back from a very empty mall

in Springfield, VA. The Macy's of my memories was always a happy, bustling place at this time of year: but no longer.

[LeftyMom]

102. We scaled back a lot

LeftyKid got some money from the IL's and we got him a bigger carseat with that(we'd been putting it off for a year and he was within a hair's breadth of outgrowing it) two long sleeve shirts and two books. I got my end of the year bonus and a gift card from my boss and I used that to buy LD a video game he wanted and the ROTK extended edition for his birthday. We would've got all those things eventually anyhow, we're just wrapping them up and opening them all at once to please relatives.

So far the only things we've bought with our own money were some art supplies for kids we know, a rice cooker for a friend of mine (she can't seem to get the hang of cooking bulk rice but who wants to stop paying through the nose for minute rice, ricearoni, etc) and a set of silicone baking pans for me. Oh and socks, Kmart had socks on sale so everybody gets socks. I'll probably wind up spending another $150 or so for my sister, parents and IL's which isn't too bad.

[mhr]

104. Unemployed 54 Months - Money, What's That?

Shopping, is that a word?

Christmas, never heard of it?

Evil, I know that one - George Bush!

[Tight_rope]

128. I know how you feel!

Been laid off for 15 months and today just got a job that I start on Jan. 3rd. making less then half of what I use to make. And I didn't make much before. Let's just say as a single person I was just bearly considered middled class. But now, with my new job I definitely qualify in the underemployed, poor, lower class category. Yes, isn't America just wonderful. With my new job not starting until Jan. 3rd retailers should not count on me. And they should not look forward to seeing any money from me next year and the year after that and the year after that. Look for me in 2008 if a Democrat is elected. But I not...well let's just say I'll be Ms. Scrooge.

[goforit]

105. You mean all those GOPrs aren't blowing their cash???

How shocking.....

I guess they have been giving every last damn penny to Bush's
campaign drives and tithing at their phoney Christian pulpits.

[vanboggie]

109. The ChimpGrinch that stole Christmas and the election n/t

[texpatriot2004]

113. He's still the thief in Chief! Is the shopping still slow today?

[osaMABUSh]

120. The Bush economy peaked at Election Day

All the Bushlovers and corporate USA were talking up the economy just before the election. Reality is back - every thing still sucks under Bush II

My company, PNC Financial Services, will be laying off in 2005. And PNC was one of the biggest Bush cheerleaders prior to Nov. 2nd.

[Kat 333]

127. No worries ...

Walmart and the likes can just sell their foreign made, cheap shit on ebay. Sales are booming there. Uncle Dick said so.

[chookie]

129. I am shocked by the lack of shoppers

I don't do the materialist Christmas thing either -- it's just something that I do not want in my life.

I usually avoid malls this time of year, because they are mobbed. I absolutely HAD to go to one Monday for a matter of business, fully prepared for the usual traffic insanity -- and was shocked to see that not only was there no traffic, there were few parked cars, and inside the shops there were few people.

I had to go to a major strip mall commercial area today, and once again -- was astonished by low traffic, few cars, few shoppers.

Not just a little less than previous years -- this is like nothing I have seen in my life.

(Pittsburgh reporting)

[laheina]

132. I'm in CA and I had the same experience

Both Tuesday and today I had to pass through major shopping areas and by two malls. Everything was dead, and it's getting very close to Christmas.

[struggle4progress]

133. kick

:kick: