holidays | Words For Hire

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue and Money is Green

February 14, 2013 by Karen Swim

Valentine’s Day Chocolates (Photo credit: SimonQ錫濛譙)

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the last minute stress of finding the perfect gift begins to slowly creep into our brains…and our wallets. A holiday born from the unwavering dedication of St. Valentine to marry Roman soldiers and preserve the tradition of love has somehow been transformed into a celebration of love through the purchase of goods. Huh? If St. Valentine knew how misconstrued his intentions have become, his heart would break…

Love it or hate it, there is no avoiding Valentine’s Day. More than half of the U.S. population observes Valentine’s Day; making it extremely valuable to any business seeking to make it a holiday to remember. The restaurant, hotel, flower, online dating, card, jewelry and chocolate industries all bank on consumers wanting to express their love and impress their sweeties. To accommodate the surge in product demand, these industries adjust their costs and edit their services. The price inflation of goods for the occasion doesn’t seem to distract love addicts from participating. In fact, Valentine’s Day sees steady to increasing profits annually and comes in second to Christmas as the most expensive holiday. This year’s holiday is estimated to contribute around $18.6 billion dollars to the economy; which is about $1 billion more than 2012’s spending and to date the highest projected revenue on record.

So what are people buying? A survey was conducted that showed on average consumers would spend around $131, with men spending more than women. Typically, married couples spend less money to woo their honeys, spending around $74 per spouse. Popular purchases such as flowers are projected to bring in around $13.19 billion while its yummy counterpart chocolate holds its ground at $1.6 billion. Jewelry is not the most popular gift, as only 1 in 5 are looking to splurge on the shiny presents. However few those shoppers are, big ticket price tags result in big time sales – contributing $4.4 billion to the jewelry industry. On average, most consumers indulge in practical gifts such as clothing and the least chosen Valentine’s Day gift option is gift cards, coming in at a lowly $1.5 billion.

Judging by numbers, it seems as if consumers are wildly spending. In reality, more people are discount shopping this year as compared to last year’s budget. Fewer purchases are being made in department stores. Instead, customers are bargain hunting and shopping around for the best deals within a myriad of retailers. Helping shoppers find deals is use of tables and smartphones. Discount apps and mobile websites allow for consumers to peruse online inventory, redeem coupons and bid for items all without stepping foot in a retail store.

Even in the midst of economic rehabilitation in America, Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday and a multi-billion dollar business that continues to see growth with no signs of decline. As long as there are new couples, secret admirers or spouses looking to keep the love flame burning, there will be Valentine’s Day gifts. Who says money can’t buy love?

Ho, Ho, Help!

December 3, 2009 by Karen Swim

: Image via Wikipedia

Tis the season to be jolly, but for many the holidays are a time of frenzy and stress.

The good news of the bad economy is that it has brought us face to face with our rampant appetite for excess. We discovered that we had accumulated much more than we could ever need.

Ah, but now the holidays are here and budgeting isn’t so much fun. Jolly tunes are playing and we are assaulted with buying messages everywhere we turn. Our children’s eyes have grown wide with desire and our hearts long to fulfill their wish list. Not to mention the wonderful deals that will allow us to have that shiny new toy of our own at half the price.

Gift giving is a wonderful tradition but when the giving leaves you filled with everything but joy it’s time to reevaluate.

A great way to take back this wonderful time of year is to celebrate the true spirit of the season. Talk to your family and extended family about the traditions you have established. Suggest creating new traditions such as:

Rather than spending money on each other, pool your funds to help a local needy family. You do not have to look far to find a family that would be blessed by bags of groceries, winter coats for their children, or even toys to put under the tree. Make it special by shopping for the family together and then surprising them with your gifts. Your own children will experience the joy of helping others in need, guaranteed to last longer than the temporary high of shiny new gadget.
Support a favorite charity. As we have cut back our own budgets, many charities are struggling with shrinking donations. What may seem a small amount to us can make a huge difference to a charity.
Create a lasting family member. Take an extended family portrait, gather your family stories and make a book, visit a place that is significant to your family.
Ditch the gifts and keep the togetherness. Isn’t that what this time of year is truly about? You can enjoy the warm traditions of faith and family without the stress and added pressures.
Volunteer together. Your service does not have to be limited to the traditional acts of charity. Surprise an elderly neighbor by cleaning up his/her yard. Clean up a vacant lot in an area that can use a morale boost. Be creative and find something meaningful for the whole family.

My warmest remembrances of Hanukkahs and Christmases past have nothing to do with gifts. I bet that is true for most of us. We remember the stories, the laughter, the people who are part of our loving (or humorous) holiday moments. That is the best tradition of all that we can pass on to the next generation.

How about you? Any creative suggestions to celebrate the holidays that alleviate the financial pressures?

Adrenalin, Pie and the Holiday Season

November 30, 2009 by Karen Swim

: Image by wallyg via Flickr

It’s the last day of November and round the world we have officially entered the holiday season. If you’re a US resident you survived the Thanksgiving weekend – congratulations! Your wonderful holiday may have included:

Breaking bread with people you barely know
A long road trip with your entire family crammed into a vehicle that felt like a shoebox as the miles added up
Slogging through airport check-ins to spend time with relatives
Dodging questions from your bubbe, nana or dear Aunt Betty that range from your marital and childbearing status to your weight and the job they don’t quite get
Trying to politely decline food you no longer eat without going into a long explanation of your dietary choice and uh desire to live past the age of 40.

Ah , fa la la la la la la la.

On Thanksgiving Day, I ran into my local store to grab some forgotten item. I had just finished a run and the happy hormones were rushing through my system. The store had already abandoned the Thanksgiving decorations and red bows and green lights had taken their place. It’s a one stop store where you can buy your groceries, office supplies, lawn ornaments and power tools all in one place (don’t ask, I still don’t quite get it either). I was immediately hit with the delightful smell of fresh baked goods. Yet, among the twinkling lights and joy to the world, there was one thing missing – happiness.

The workers looked battle worn and fatigued. The shoppers were buying holiday trimmings and gifts but none were smiling. I received mumbled hello’s and barely perceptible nods to my cheery greetings (I was happy, I had a good run and I was going to eat pie!). Wasn’t this a season of grateful reflection and joy?

Finally at the checkout, I found it, a happy couple. They smiled even before I let them cut in front of me. They were in their late 70s and made quite a striking pair. They had bought several cans of some type of fruit, and the wife explained they had gone to three stores to find it. She chatted cheerily while directing her husband. He smiled as he followed his wife’s lead, clearly masterful at a lifetime of “yes dears.” They had gone to three stores and they were neither harried, grumpy or seemingly tired.

This dear couple had clearly lived through many holidays. As life goes, I guarantee that they were not all stress free. Yet, they seemed to have arrived at a place that allowed them to enjoy the simple things like finding a searched for food item three stores later.

Maybe it was my runner’s high or my delight about the pie, but I committed to hold on to my joy in the midst of this frenzied season. It’s so easy to be caught like a deer in Christmas lights at this time of year. Yet, the things that really matter have little to do with blinking lights and bright wrapping paper. I will not blame the retailers for ruining the holidays but will take responsibility for my own actions and attitude. I can choose to honor my own values and reasons for celebration this season or I can choose stress and frustration. I can also choose to spread that joy to everyone around me, and that just happens to fit perfectly into my budget.

This week I’ll be sharing some of my personal stress busting strategies, and I would love to hear from you. How do you manage the demands of this time of year? Any must have rituals that keep you sane?

Thankful Reflection and Learning

November 23, 2009 by Karen Swim

: Image via Wikipedia

In the US we will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday. Already, things are slowing down a bit as people travel to spend time with their families or hunker down to get everything done in this three day work week. I like this time of year. It is a quiet time for reflecting and giving thanks before the holiday retail frenzy grabs hold and unleashes a flurry of stressful buying and gift giving.

It is a perfect time to reflect, learn and begin to implement new habits and actions. Writing has been an integral part of my own reflection. It has been eye opening to explore the process of writing and learning over at Joyful Jubilant Learning this month. I encourage you to check out the posts there and consider joining in on the Group Writing Project . One of my favorite posts there this month was Opening a Vein by Káren Wallace. Filled with raw emotion, the piece was haunting, poetic and so aptly described many of my own feelings about writing.

My own journal has chronicled my fears, frustrations and fantasies about the months ahead. As I pour it all out upon the pages, I am able to clearly see paths and patterns. The task of writing it all down frequently leaves me spent but satisfied. There is a sense of space and calm as I let the thoughts tumble from my head to the page.

I must admit that not everything is clear but I have learned to be okay with that too. I am embracing carving out a road that is straight and squiggly and veers off in unexpected directions. I believe that is one of the reasons why Joanna Young’s revealing post, The Search for the Rosetta Stone or Confessions of a Serial Blogger , struck me so deeply.

This week I will be reflecting on these lessons and catching up on my reading. Of course, there will also be pie involved because it is Thanksgiving week. 🙂 I also want to take a moment to say Thank You. Whether you pop in on occasion or show up faithfully, whether you read in silence or offer comments, I am so thankful for YOU! Every single person that subscribes, reads, shares is so valued by me.

So, what’ s in store for you this week? If pie is involved, please share. 🙂

I Gave at the Office

December 9, 2008 by Karen Swim

Image by brungrrl via Flickr

Written by Karen D. Swim

Giving during the holidays can become especially tricky in the workplace. Do you give a gift to your boss? What if you have a matrix reporting relationship, do you give to your dotted line boss too? Do you have to participate in Secret Santa? What do you give to colleagues you barely know?

Unfortunately, workplace giving is often more of a political issue than a true spirit of giving issue. Joanna Young, however sums up the nonsense that has colored the season:

“Billions of pounds worth of presents are returned each year, often the day after Christmas. At least people are starting to donate unwanted gifts to charity shops here so they can sell them on but really, you have to ask why we’re all buying so much unneccessary stuff.I’d rather we focus on meaningful thoughtful personal gifts which can’t be done on a mass scale.”

I have felt this way for years and I’m not alone. Re-gifting has risen to an art form. Gifts become obligations and we give far more than is necessary. Chances are many of your colleagues are feeling the same way. You can lead the way in restoring the joy of the season and win at office politics.

If gift giving is your office tradition, suggest a new tradition this year. As everyone is feeling the pinch from the economy this year, people may be more open to eliminating interoffice gifts.

Instead of gifts, suggest that everyone bring a canned good or toy to the office. Local food banks are really hurting this year with more families to feed than in past years. Unwrapped toys can be contributed to your local toy drive. In the U.S. fire departments, police departments and hospitals usually have programs.
Select a community project and adopt them for Christmas. As a group you can pitch in and volunteer time and/or resources.
Hold a blood drive. There is no greater gift than the gift of life. Blood banks are neglected this time of year and would welcome your efforts.
Collect warm clothes or blankets. Blankets and warm clothes can be donated to local shelters.
For a twist on Secret Santa, instead of gifts have recipients trade jobs for an hour or day. This of course will only work in environments where skill sets can be used in a variety of ways.
Share the gifts of your traditions. Have an interoffice gathering where everyone brings a dish and story that celebrates their own special traditions for the year.
Instead of giving individual gifts to the boss, chip in and buy one gift from the group. Keep it simple and choose a neutral professional gift, add monogramming if appropriate for a mores personal touch. If your relationship with your boss is very friendly, consider a gift certificate (spa gift certificates are one of my favorites).
Go caroling. Your department / company can go caroling in the local community, at a local school or local children’s hospital.

Use your imagination and you’ll find that there are so many ways to bring colleagues together and rekindle the joy of the season. To sell your ideas to bottom line managers, remind them that charitable efforts can be publicized. A photo of your team collecting canned goods or giving blood is a great story for your company newsletter, website or local paper.

How does your office celebrate the season? What are your ideas for restoring joy to the season? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.