The Chronic Consumer

I have mixed feelings about the practice of regifting. On the one hand, it seems kind of rude and unappreciative to give away a present that someone took time to pick out for you. On the other, there’s no sense in holding onto something that you have absolutely no use for just to spare someone’s feelings.

I’ve regifted in the past, and would probably do it again if given the chance. For instance, if someone gives me a book that I’ve already read, I’ll pass it on to someone else. Moreover, if someone were to give me a wine of the month club membership, I’d likely pass that on as well, since I’m not a big drinker.

The bottom line for me is that regifting is ok if it’s done in a tasteful manner. Just don’t regift junk and don’t accidentally regift to the person who originally gave you the present in the first place! If you avoid these two gaffes, you should be fine.

Ever since I was 12 years old, I’ve received at least one Chicago Bears item for Christmas from a family member. From something as simple as a tree ornament or a pair of socks to something as expensive as an authentic player jersey, I always end up getting some kind of product with a Bears logo on it.

This year, I hope to get this Hot Jacket from Reebok. This is a lightweight pullover that would be perfect for cool days in the spring or fall, and looks very cool — which is always an important consideration for apparel. I really like these Reebok products, as I have several of their Equipment Tees that are some of my favorite shirts ever.

Anyway, this Chicago Bears Hot Jacket by Reebok is a bit on the expensive side at $69.99 (for what is essentially a windbreaker), but I would still like to have it. Hopefully this is enough of a hint to family members, and I’ll be unwrapping this very item two weeks from now!

Every year, my family participates in the Letters to Santa program sponsored by one of the downtown post offices. As part of this program, the post office intercepts letters that kids write to Santa, and post them on the wall. Customers can then read through the letters, and if they want, they can take one down and buy the gifts requested by the kids. You need a photo ID in order to participate, which I guess is supposed to provide an element of protection for the recipients.

Anyway, most of the requests that come in from these underprivileged kids are very practical. They often ask for things like new shoes, winter jackets, hats, gloves, sweaters, or even crib bedding for a baby sibling. Rarely do these kids want Playstations, laptops, iPods, or other things that you might expect to be on a typical Christmas list these days.

The letter we chose was from a little boy who asked for warm winter clothing and boots. We’re going to have a lot of fun shopping for this child, and hope he enjoys his presents!

I went to a Catholic college, and though I’m not religious myself, I have several close friends who are — including a couple of priests! So when the Christmas season rolls around, I try to buy thoughtful gifts that have a religious bent to them since they believe this time of year is about much more than Santa Claus and reindeer.

Fortunately, I can always go online and shop for Christian videos, books, jewelry, accessories, and even novelty items. I know that I don’t have to go out of my way like this, and my friends would appreciate anything I got for them, but I like giving people presents that they will actually enjoy, so this situation works out well for everyone involved!

Well, this has certainly not been a good year for the retail industry. There have been a host of bankruptcies and store closings affecting national chains such as Linens ‘n’ Things, Sharper Image, Circuit City, and Libby Lu, to name just a handful. And now you can add Office Depot to the list.

I just read that Office Depot is set to close at least 126 stores in the next few months, and will cut new store openings as well. According to USA Today, 112 poorly-performing North American stores will be closed within three months, with the remainder to close in 2009 as their leases expire. Furthermore, instead of opening 40 new stores in 2009 as originally planned, the chain plans to cut that number in half to 20.

And, to top it all off, six distribution centers will shut down as well, leaving 27 in operation throughout the country.

Well, this is pretty depressing, isn’t it? How bad are things going to get in this economy? I’m always saddened to hear about store closings, even when they’re places I don’t go to all that often. I just think of all the families this will affect in terms of lost jobs, etc. The news is even harder to take during the holidays. I know from firsthand experience that you can’t truly enjoy Christmas while your job is in jeopardy.

When are things going to get better?

Edit: Linens ‘n’ Things is going out of business, not Bed, Bath, & Beyond, as I mistakenly wrote in this post!

Have you heard of the Polaroid Pogo? For as much as I love gadgets, I’m surprised I haven’t noticed this thing around until just now. Anyway, it’s a portable photo printer that doesn’t require ink. Instead, the printer uses something called ZINK technology to reproduce images on paper. Plus, it uses Bluetooth to transmit data, so you don’t have to lug around extra cords or cables. It looks like a cool little device for sure!

Of course, I’ve read some reviews that rail against the low quality of the prints that come out, but what do these people expect? It’s a $79 printer that doesn’t even use ink…why would the pictures end up looking like something from a photo studio??

The Pogo would be suitable for dashing off quick prints from parties or whatever. These probably wouldn’t be anything that you’d want to frame, but they would be fine for lockers, tool boxes, scrapbooks, collages, etc.

I don’t know about you, but I’d be willing to give Pogo a try!

Against my better judgment, I decided to brave the weather, traffic, and crowds to go holiday shopping at the mall today. I was originally planning to do all of my shopping online this year, but I saw some ads for incredible prices for a few things that are on my list, and I decided that I couldn’t afford to pass up those deals. Fortunately, I was able to get everything I wanted — although it took me nearly 3 1/2 hours to do so… yikes!

Now the only person I have left to shop for is my husband. I’m not worried about him though, because he’s one of those people who are tremendously easy to buy for. I don’t think he’s ever not liked a Christmas or birthday present. In fact, I bet I could get him something he has no real use for, like cattle supplies, and he’d open the package with a smile — and find some way to incorporate those items into his life!

Anyway, I’m glad my holiday shopping is almost done. As much as I like going to the mall, I would just as soon avoid the place altogether during December and January!

Here’s another cool gadget that I wouldn’t mind owning! I came across this Thermaclear Acne device while doing some online Christmas shopping today, and really want to give it a try. It’s a handheld device that is supposed to clear up pimples and blemishes much faster than standard creams or ointments.

How does it work? This is taken from the FAQ section at the Thermaclear site:

ThermaClear uses a short, controlled, and very targeted pulse of heat to neutralize the bacteria that causes the pimple, allowing it to heal faster. The thermal pulse triggers a dual-action response, neutralizing acne-causing bacteria from above, while also stimulating the body’s own acne fighting proteins from below. This dual mechanism fights pimples on two fronts, clearing them in as little as 24 hours.

The site also features some pretty convincing before and after pictures, as well as video tutorials on how to use the product (it’s very easy).

Even though I’m 35 years old, I still battle acne and pimples almost on a daily basis, so I’m all for trying anything that can help clear up my skin! Thermaclear costs $149, which could be a stumbling block for me. That’s pretty expensive for my budget, so if I’m going to have to save up for a while in order to buy it.