Somebody remembered what Christmas is supposed to be about.

reply to post by FortAnthem


That is so sweet, and their hearts in the right place. But, did they ever think that there may be some out there that will not have any presents at all under the tree, some parents so broke there will be absolutely NOTHING under the tree??? Or food on their table this christmas? It's likely they paid a working family's bill what about the millions of kids whose family can't find work? I am not trying to down them for doing what they did, I am just simply saying, personally if I were to do something like "secret santa" I'd pick a family who had problems with getting stuff in the first place, those that have nothing, not even the money for lay-a-way, but that's just me. Maybe they simply didn't know where to start with someone that had nothing, maybe they knew of nobody like that and wanted to do something. That's a possibility. So they did what they could, but I encourage all to if you know of someone that has nothing to give their children and have been out of work to help them. IF I was in the position to, I would, I know plenty of families this year that will have nothing under their tree at all this year.
If I had the means I'd buy the whole entire christmas meal and a large order of toys at the local store and wrap everything (presents-wise) up and put the food in a basket and leave it on the doorstep with a note at night. Well this depends on where you live, too, to make sure nobody steal it. If this was not possible because of the area, then I would leave it on the doorstep in the morning and ring the doorbel and run away so they wouldn't see me.

reply to post by FortAnthem


awwwwwww this is why is wish I had more $$$ I've always wanted to bring the poor kids in the Apalacha mtns gifts....*tear* good folk do exist....merry Christmas ya.. :-)

reply to post by Unrealised


if jesus was real - the alledged evidence contradicts his birth - in december oor janurary

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Going off topic, but I heard if he was indeed real, astronomers (given some basic ideas from the Bible) of the placements of our planets, constellations, and mainly one planet in particular, that was thought to be the star of bethlehem, that they estimated his birth in March, and they further theorized that is why he is symbolized by the fish.
But, this is off topic.

OK look, I think it is a nice gesture. The woman gets points in my book for doing that. And the OP is right, it shows Christmas spirit in terms of generosity.

But let's not forget that money could have been leveraged to help people in a different way, rather than paying off fiat debt no doubt held utimately by the too-big-to-fail crowd. Call me a cynic but there is something barf-worthy about a corporate-controlled for-profit, manipulated MSM news-source playing up a story of a person giving their money not to Doctors without Borders or the local foodbank, but rather funneling it through a company owned by shareholders on a crooked, rigged NYSE exchange to its ultimate home with the banksters. "Holiday spirit means giving your money to bankers to pay for debts they created out of thin air in the first place." Pardon me while I hurl.

Although I support and encourage this act of kindness, she has indeed remembered what Christmas is about.

Handing money over to corporations.

It's all about emotional manipulation. If you love somebody, you should prove it by giving a corporation money.

Emotional manipulation for profit is big business.



First I was told Christmas was about Santa. Then I discovered he wasn't real.

Then I was told it was about Jesus...

BTW, Santa was created by the corporations so parents can't use the "we can't afford it" excuse. Sure you can tell your kids that Santa can't afford it, as long as other kids don't get it. If they do, your child will wonder what they did to upset Santa...

Originally posted by Glargod

If only Christmas was about what it use to be and not what big corporate stores want it to be.

It seems that every month has a big "must buy something" festivity. They are pros at sucking the money out of us and they do it through kids/guilt/emotions.

Hey! I don't see anyone in those stores twisting arms or torturing people to buy all of those things. As long as people want what those big corporate stores sell, the stores will provide for their wishes.

Christmas is what YOU make it.

Not the corporations.

Mahree

Originally posted by ldyserenity
But, did they ever think that there may be some out there that will not have any presents at all under the tree...

If it means that much to people to have "presents under the tree" then they should pull out their credit card like they are expected too and get into debt.

The alternative is to wake up and realise that Christmas is a corporate scam and save a fortune.

It's fantastic to see a story like this. And disheartening to see someone make the slightest opinion that they should have done something else that "would have been better". Two people helped others. Thats the point of what they did. It's irrelevant if there may have been someone else in need. The simple fact they had it in their mind to do something instead of nothing. I haven't worked in almost two years now. I get by with what I am able to make on my farm but aside from that there is nothing extra for buying things. But I can afford a couple gallons of gas. So since I have timber on my land I cut trees for firewood and put the word out to my friends for people in need for the winter. I'm sure some of them can afford to buy it, but I also know some of them really need the help and it makes their life easier. I've plumbed two trailers this winter so far for people that were unemployed and couldn't pay to have it fixed. I've repaired a few roofs as well using wood from a local sawmill. I send them extra wood and they cut me some out to use for no charge. I charge nothing for my work and I never will.

Point is, it doesn't matter if you believe in god or jesus during these holidays it hasn't really been about that for years. It's a time to say I can help, even if its just a bit, and not sit and wonder if the person deserves it or not. There will always be those who don't. But if you spend your life pissed off about that fact how are you going to help anyone. Let it go and just do something simple. Stop concerning yourselves that the holiday is pagan or christian and just give a slight crap that people live on this tiny little planet with you and do need a hand now and then. Maybe this act of kindness isn't your way to help but it worked for someone and they feel better about themselves and the ones they helped will as well.

In any case, do what you think is right. But at least do something and don't point out someone's error when all they are trying to do is help someone else.

reply to post by NuclearPaul


With young kids, they don't understand. To them being their mind is not yet mature and they see their friends getting things, they beleive they have done something wrong if they see no presents. They also do not have to be really high end things, little kids don't care about names either. They may want certain things but there is always no name generic alternatives to those. There is also doll makers too, as far as I know still operating in America. So that's a local small business. It isn't about the corporations. I could buy (if I had funds) plenty of stuff for a small child and not go through a big corp. at all.

Not everyone beleive in credit cards either.

Originally posted by ldyserenity
With young kids, they don't understand.

They do if you teach them corporate emotional manipulation from a young age.

Best thing to do is to tell them that Santa is not real too. Sure, other parents will get mad at you, but that is their problem. If they want to lie to their kids, fine. But it's rude to expect others to lie to cover up your lie.

Young kids feel important knowing Santa is a scam while their friends do not. It makes them feel like you trust them with secret adult knowledge.

Yeah, it's a nice thought and all...... but was this↓ really necessary?

The woman [color=DDFFBA]looked through several of the about 800 layaway contract tickets at the store. She randomly picked and paid the bill on three of them.

Do those tickets not have personal information on them?
[color=858585](Maybe they don't... I've never done it, but I assume that they would)


If the plan was to pay off random items for random people, then why would she need to see the tickets?

...item being bought? ....purchaser's name?....address? ...phone number? ...credit card info?

reply to post by NuclearPaul


Sure you can teach an 8 year old that, but a two year old you can't, as they have a limited understanding of the world, you couldn't even teach a five year old that, you can explain but they won't understand when they go to school and everyone else is talking about what they recieved. They will feel like they are shorted. I know from where I speak, I had step children that were raised by Jehova's witnesses, and they didn't understand (Jehova's do not celebrate Christmas or gift giving for any holiday). They knew only that they didn't get anything and their step siblings got twice as much as them, that's because their father did buy for them but my children had me and their father buying for mine. Also their mother would sell what they got, if you don't beleive it messed up theirheads, all I can say is psychologically it is devastating to them because they are indoctrined from day 1 that that's what Christmas is about, They cannot fully understand the depth of the consumerism until they're at least 8, if not, much older.
Now infants that's a different story because they know nothing of the world yet, but once they're school age, and have been introduced to certain concepts it's just all they know, unless you keep them seperated from civilization, and don't own a tv set. Like the Amish, which I think also does not celebrate the difference is they are a society closed off, they have no tvs or electricity and they have their own schools.

I think this thread proves that it's nearly impossible to make a post on ATS that doesn't eventually get the "they're just manipulating you!" message.

That's cool. I guess the evil overlords are doing their jobs.

I think it's a nice gesture at any rate whether it's all just a trap or not.

While that is a great message for people to go out and help others, I do it differently, we do toy drives and here in neck of the woods we pay for food and electrical bills for those in the community that can not afford it and are facing bad times.

That buys some people time specially during the cold winter months.

I think the people do this with the best intentions and I applaud them for taking initiative.

reply to post by FortAnthem


What a great story. What if people acted this way all year instead of only Christmas time? The world would be much less depressing. I try to look for opportunities like this everyday, kindness is contagious!

Seriously? How ridiculous to point out. Sometimes it's okay to take things for what they are. Good is good enough.

Originally posted by ldyserenity
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

That is so sweet, and their hearts in the right place. But, did they ever think that there may be some out there that will not have any presents at all under the tree, some parents so broke there will be absolutely NOTHING under the tree??? Or food on their table this christmas? It's likely they paid a working family's bill what about the millions of kids whose family can't find work? I am not trying to down them for doing what they did, I am just simply saying, personally if I were to do something like "secret santa" I'd pick a family who had problems with getting stuff in the first place, those that have nothing, not even the money for lay-a-way, but that's just me. Maybe they simply didn't know where to start with someone that had nothing, maybe they knew of nobody like that and wanted to do something. That's a possibility. So they did what they could, but I encourage all to if you know of someone that has nothing to give their children and have been out of work to help them. IF I was in the position to, I would, I know plenty of families this year that will have nothing under their tree at all this year.
If I had the means I'd buy the whole entire christmas meal and a large order of toys at the local store and wrap everything (presents-wise) up and put the food in a basket and leave it on the doorstep with a note at night. Well this depends on where you live, too, to make sure nobody steal it. If this was not possible because of the area, then I would leave it on the doorstep in the morning and ring the doorbel and run away so they wouldn't see me.

reply to post by BrokenCircles


For most places (being a cashier myself for many many years) They have none of that information on the layaway tickets. They haven't got addresses, names or phone numbers, and they have this *****and the last four digits of a credit card or debit card on the ticket, and unless you are a banker you wuold not know how to even surmise the first 12 numbers on that card.

This actually brought tears to my eyes.
How beautiful humanity can be when they want to.

PLPL

Christmas is a bastardization of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, I'm pretty sure.