And lest everyone think I am horribly cheerful at this season....

[kyrielle]

...only sometimes. For example, from this time last year: Why I hate bell ringers.

Still true today. I saw one bell ringer this year I'd give money to - and one I'd love to sue, just to make him go away. The latter was ringing a full-strength bell inside a tiny entryway at the mall between two sets of doors. It was deafening. I'd have told him what I thought of him, but I doubt he could have heard me.

The Salvation Army sucks. And as a general rule, I try to fight the urge to give them any money, because they put these assholes out here with the loud bells to HURT us every holiday season. I don't pay to be annoyed - or injured.

Heh. Last year I sent almost no gifts; this year I sent tons. It's all a question of whether something catches my fancy and, this year, it did. But I don't buy into the "must" of the holidays, so I do hope no one will be upset if I sometimes do and sometimes don't send stuff. (The corollary of this is, for pity's sake, don't send me stuff from a sense of obligation!)

Comments

[elfbabe.livejournal.com]

I don't give to the Salvation Army, regardless - they're pretty anti-gay, and they were big in helping promote the religious-groups-can-discriminate-all-they-want aspect of faith-based initiatives. There are better charities to give my spare change to.

[pheon.livejournal.com]

The Salvation Army bell ringers at the Freddie's here in town made a smart change this year: They recruited young couples from the myriad of local churches we have to do bell ringing. With a sign indicating which church they were from. And of course the couple could and did greet all the folks they recognize from their church. Neat little bit of coercion.