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November 2008
Will you spend less this Christmas?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The economy is likely to put a pinch on Christmas spending this year.
AJC columnist Rick Badie wrote about a Home Depot promotion targeting Black Friday shoppers. He notes it’s an unusual move by the company and may signal how critical this shopping period is for retailers.
And, if you’re in the market for luxury goods, you may find a bargain - of sorts.
Luxury retailers are hurting as well and some are discounting their merchandise. Don’t expect basement prices, but you can find good deals.
How has the economy affected your holiday spending? Are you spending less or not giving gifts at all? Or, are you a creative sort and plan to make your holiday gifts?
If you have children, how do you explain fewer gifts under the tree?
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The Dec. 24 Matzo Ball
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Revelers at a past Matso Ball, an annual event for young Jewish professionals held in numerous cities on Dec. 24
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, finding things to do on Christmas Eve might seem a bit challenging.
The Society of Young Jewish Professionals plans its annual Matzo Ball in more than 20 cities this Dec. 24, including Atlanta.
The ATL event will be at the newly opened Tongue & Groove nightclub in the Lindbergh City Center. Similar parties will be going on in more than 20 major cities that night, if you happen to be traveling.
Other Matzo Balls will be held in New York, Boston, West Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Tampa, Miami, Las Vegas and elsewhere. Here’s the full list of cities.
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online or at the door. Organizers recommend buying in advance.
The SYJP, founded in 1987, was created to give Jewish singles a fun way to meet and mingle.
While the party is geared toward young Jewish professionals (ages 21 to 49), organizers note that the party is open to anyone.
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Who’s your ideal Thanksgiving dinner guest?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who would you most like to share a turkey drumstick?
According to a recent poll, single diners would prefer Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney as dates for Thanksgiving dinner.
“We weren’t surprised that George Clooney and Jennifer Aniston topped the list of ideal dinner dates for Thanksgiving as they truly represent Hollywood Royalty; both are sophisticated, charitable, gorgeous, fascinating and worldly, and could make any relative jealous while charming even the grouchiest Grandparent,” said Shira Zwebner, Relationship Advisor for Date.com, Matchmaker.com and Amor.com in the article.
So, it got us to thinking: Who would you most like to share your Thanksgiving dinner?
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Are holiday jobs hard to find this year in Atlanta?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This year’s hunt for holiday jobs is supposed to be more intense than usual. Because more people are unemployed going into the holiday season, there’s a lot more people out there trying to apply for seasonal and other part-time jobs. Instead of teenagers and housewives, which make up the typical seasonal job applicant pool, the recently laid-off from a wide cross-section of industries are scrambling for these jobs.
Of course, retailers, who tend to hire the most amount of seasonal workers, have low expectations for spending this holiday season, considering the state of the economy, which means they will need to hire less people.
Are you looking for seasonal work in Atlanta? How has your part-time job search been? Do you think it’s harder to find seasonal jobs this year in Atlanta?
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Thanks in thankless times?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Times are tough. The stock market seems to fall lower ever day. People are losing their homes and their jobs. Now comes Thanksgiving.
How can you give “thanks” in thankless times? This year, just what should we be giving thanks for?
What about you? What are you thankful for?
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Instead of gifts, try kindness
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The recycling box on the carport is starting to overflow with colorful flyers offering all manner of “must have” gifts for the holidays. And if I’m not careful I get caught in that retailing undertow that grips us all every year, convincing us that Christmas just isn’t complete until the gift boxes block our view of the tree.
Can I be so bold to suggest that we give the gift this season of random acts of kindness? I thought about this when I ran across a story of a woman who was at a foreclosure auction. She happened to meet a person whose home was being auctioned off and was understandably in tears.
The woman bought the house, and then worked out a deal to allow the former owner to move back in. She put up a portion of her own small business to secure the mortgage. Now it would be great if we all were willing to extend ourselves to that degree for our fellow man, but that isn’t always an option. But there are other ways we can give without making a run to the mall.
When a young child says “watch me” stop and give them 10 minutes of your full attention.
Hold the door open for the person behind you when you’re going into the store. Bake some desserts and drop them off at any fire station around town. Grab that empty soda can that didn’t quite make it into the trash can off the ground. Slow down and let that other driver ease into ahead of you.
Drop your pennies into the change box at the convenience store cash register.
When you drive through the “change” lane at the 400 toll plaza hand over a dollar and pay for the car behind you.
Make some time to visit with the folks at the Dorothy Benson Senior Center off Vernon Woods.
Buy some extra groceries to donate to the food drive every supermarket in town has this time of year.
Pick up those random pieces of trash you see around your neighborhood when you’re walking the dog.
When you sit down for dinner, turn your phone off.
Fill three big boxes of stuff and take it to the Goodwill next to the vacant Target.
Leave a really huge tip for someone who deserves it, but only if you can exit the restaurant before they catch you.
Haul out the lights and give your front yard a good old-fashioned tacky decoration.
I have nothing against giving and I sure love getting — but maybe this year it might make us all feel a little better if we turn it down a notch.
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How many ways can you save during the holidays?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What unique ways do you pinch pennies during Christmas? We’re not talking about clipping coupons from the newspaper or shopping discount stores. Everybody knows those tricks to save money.
Do you cut up old greeting cards to use as nametags? Do you save your old gift bags for the next year?
C’mon, you frugal consumers…share.
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Layaway makes a comeback for the holidays
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Layaway is making a comeback this holiday season.
Sears is one of several retailers bringing back the pay-as-you-go plan. The plan allows consumer to pay on installments over a set period of time. The retailers hangs on to the merchandise until the balance is paid in full.
The move comes in wake of tough economic times for shoppers. The practice began during the Great Depression but began to fade several years ago as consumers grew more prosperous and began paying with credit cards, according to an article in the Associated Press.
But layaway has its drawbacks. Be aware of the store policy if payments are late, skipped or if you don’t get the merchandise out at the pre-arranged time. Some retailers will put the merchandise back on the sales floor and refund your money minus a fee.
Do you plan to use layaway this Christmas? Have you ever used it? What do you remember about layaway programs in the past?
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What are your Black Friday plans?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you plan your Black Friday with the precision of a military unit?
Do you and your family fan out across Wal-Mart in color-coordinated sweats, walkie talkies in hand, to find the best deals on the day after Thanksgiving? Is Black Friday — the opening of the holiday shopping season — an annual event at your house that requires scouring ads, planning ahead and coordination?
Black Friday is one of the most important shopping days for retailers. Many stores open early, with “door buster” deals on electronics and toys. They hope that big sales will lead to big profits. Retailers can make up to 40 percent of their annual revenues in November and December alone.
If this is your big shopping day, Rachel Tobin Ramos, retail reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wants to hear from you. She’s looking for people to talk about their Black Friday plans and share their shopping strategies. Email her at: rtramos@ajc.com
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What’s the perfect gift for caregivers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Alone time. If you have any caregivers in your life that you want to remember this holiday season, providing respite care could be the most appreciated gift of all. Often caregivers put aside their own needs and are consumed with caring for the needs of the loved ones in their care. This personal neglect can impact both physical and emotional health. Offer to give a caregiver an afternoon or even a weekend off, so they can recharge their batteries. If you are not comfortable providing the care yourself, hire a reputable caregiver or see if there’s a local respite care facility in your area.
If your loved one is in a facility, don’t forget about those hardworking and usually underpaid staff members. Bring by a fruit basket or even a homemade treat to show your thanks. Or consider donating your time to a local non-profit that assists seniors and others needing supervised care. You can find more holiday gift ideas on the Atlanta Holiday Guide and this caregiver gift guide published in Pulse.
If you would like to honor a caregiver or a facility that goes the extra mile to care for your loved ones, we encourage you to submit your caregiver story. All submissions will be considered for publication.
For those of you that are caregivers, what recommendations do you have to help those seeking alone time while caring for a loved one, especially during the hectic holiday season?
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Holiday potlucks are not for everyone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The economy may force the cancellation of extravagant office parties but fear not: the potluck is still on.
Are potlucks a staple around your office during the holidays?
While potlucks can be fun, sometimes they require a bit of finesse - and sometimes prayer. Although it wasn’t a holiday meal, about 50 people in Wausau, WI. got sick after a potluck dinner for Wausau East High School football players and their families.
How do you handle the coworker who comes in with cat hair on her clothes but insists you try her homemade tuna casserole? Or would you prefer to eat after Bill in human resources who never washes his hands after going to the bathroom?
Do you participate in office potlucks? Are there coworkers whose food you refuse to eat? Do you have coworkers who bring enough food for one but eat for two or contribute nothing at all? Should everyone be required to post tent cards by their food listing what’s in this dish and who made it? What’s your best/worst potluck memory?
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Your tips for a greener, cheaper holiday season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Deck the halls with … well, what exactly this year?
The economy may have left us all a little less flush this holiday season, but that’s no reason we have to enjoy them less. Many people are planning simpler, greener, cheaper ways of marking the season.
How are you keeping your holiday celebrations simpler, more sustainable and fun? Energy-efficient lights? Carpools to grandma’s house? A different approach to shopping and gifts?
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Scrooge stealing your Christmas party?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Has Mr. Scrooge added a dose of bah, humbug to your workplace cheer?
Tough economic times are forcing many companies to forgo the annual Christmas party in favor of scaled down functions or nothing at all. Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement firm, found that 77 percent of companies are planning holiday office parties this year. While that figure may sound good, it’s down from 90 percent in 2007.
“With the impact of the housing collapse rippling throughout many sectors of the economy, we are seeing the toll on holiday parties,”
Has the economy forced your company to cancel it’s annual Christmas party? Or, if the party is not canceled, is your company scaling back? Say, holding the party in the office instead of a fancy hotel? Or doing a potluck instead of a catered affair?
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What’s your shopping strategy?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On your mark, get ready…shop!
As retailers will gladly - and eagerly - tell you, it’s never too early to being Christmas shopping. Consumers are already being bombarded by holiday ads touting the best and newest toys, electronics and fashions.
Some people find it hard to get in the shopping spirit while they’re still munching on Halloween candy. Others (show offs) already have that first gift stashed away in the back of the closet. Layaway seems to be a big selling point for retailers these days.
Here are some tips to get through the holiday shopping period.
What about you? Are you an early or last minute shopper? Do you live for Black Friday? With the economy in the pit, do you plan to shop discount or not much at all?
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Share your Thanksgiving horror stories
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Family, family, family —you can’t disown them and you have to love them. But boy, do they know how to ruin a holiday.
We all have that one Thanksgiving horror story that, at the time, made you want to shamefully hide in the closet. Like the time Uncle Bob got drunk and fell down the basement steps? Or grandma finally told your uncle’s wife how she really felt about her.
What are your Thanksgiving horror stories? Do you have strategies for ensuring they don’t happen again?
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