A few decades ago, when my sibs and I were no longer children, we noticed that Christmas wasn't what it used to be when there were lots of toys and games to keep everyone occupied after all the presents were unwrapped.
We began taking turn opening presents, to better enjoy what everyone else got.
We began to buy thrift store tshirts and library-book-sale books for each other (so there would be more things to open, and if the recipient was less than thrilled, no one was out any hard cash and the things could go right on to the next thrift store or book sale.....).
One year, when visiting a thrift store, we were appreciating the painted-on-black-velvet-big-eyed children. We thought it was too bad that all the really awful stuff in thrift stores went ... unappreciated ...........
This thought led to a plan.
Each person who comes to my parents' house for Christmas can bring anything they found anywhere in the world which they could legitimately purchase for 25 cents. The items are presented to the group by someone other than the person who brought them (my bro -- by far -- the most inventive and persuasive presenter. Jockeying has taken place by those hoping to get him to present their items....). The year's most Awful item is chosen by vote, which lends a political (and hence quite unpredictable) aspect to the outcome.
Over time there came to be a rotating trophy.
The allowable expenditure went up.
"Could you get it for a quarter?" became a code phrase, understood to mean "Whoa! That is one really bad item!"
Wondering where we're going?
In the megamart last week, looking for charcoal, these stopped me in my tracks.
Whoa.
I mean.
Can you imagine designing these? Building one? Building lots????? Making the purchasing decision to stock your store with them?
Could you get one for a quarter???????
Not a chance.................
Now, if it sits outside for several years, and gets dirty and mossy and who knows what, and it shows up in the thrift store with weather-enhanced patina, well, maybe then you could get it for a quarter. And you might win, too. This is pretty bad already....................
.
6 comments:
I'm laughing out loud. Those things are hideous!!! When I first started reading the post, I thought you might be writing about something very serious (or even sad) and thought, "Oh, no." You got me! Would someone really pay $31.99 for one of those? Gads!
:-)
The whole process ... just mind boggling.
Someone designed 'em.
Someone else made all the individual parts.
Someone else built 'em.
Someone else thought they'd sell, and agreed to purchase.
Now the question is -- did (will) *anyone* actually buy them????????
Blows my mind that they are different from each other.
And ... what about those things behind the "hope" ones????
A bit more ... organized ... than what you would shovel in the boys' area, but.... ??? Don't you think?
lol....................
Um.
Wow.
And I think I might know people who would buy them.
But they might put them at the office.
But even more likely if they said "faith" instead of "hope".
"Um Wow" was pretty much what I thought when I saw them.
Really, people who would buy them, for $32?
Scary..................
And -- maybe the ones that said "faith" were already gone.....
Can't figure out what either faith or hope have to do with shiny eggs, phony rocks, or rather dangerous-looking fleur-de-lis-shaped spikes...........
The whole ensemble was big, too. Two feet tall, I bet.
Well, no, i wouldn't buy one but i think lots of people would. They're symbolic with hope being the big strong pedestal and then the various treasures, like trials and tribulations,some precariously perched as if to fail but dosn't, all the way to the royal kingdom or hope finally being achieved at the top.
I bet faith was all sold out.
You may be right.
I guess the leap past it all being plastic was too much for me to make. Fake rocks, fake treasures....
Feels much more like manipulation to me than comfort.......
Like someone preying on someone else's hopes (to the tune of $32) rather than something more supportive......
Post a Comment