It's the most hideous time of the year

Knitting my poor little fingers to the bone. I have turned the heel and finished the decreases into the foot of sock two of my mom's socks. Mom's are the pastel ones. I have gone about an inch past the cuff ribbing in the second of Anna's socks, hers are the primary ones. Momsocks are sportweight (Knitpicks "Parade") on size 2 needles, Anna's are fingering weight (Knitpicks "simple stripes") on size ones.

I'll be glad when I can sit down and spin again... it seems like forever since I've had time, and I miss it, badly.

Tomorrow I need to take my boss's scarf and my clerk's scarf in and gift them. I also must interoffice mail my former cubemate's scarf. I have the sinking feeling that I'm forgetting something, but I think at this point, everything is covered that is going to be covered.

And I'm not even christian.

On the bus last week, two women were talking about what toys they were getting their children. One bemoaned the fact that they just don't make enough of the popular toys. "Why don't they make enough? Don't they realize that they're not making enough?" It was all I could do not to say...
"Look, dummy, they don't make enough ON PURPOSE. If there is an inadequate supply, the demand will go WAY up. Look at all the morons who paid thousands of dollars for a playstation three on ebay or such, rather than wait a couple of weeks or months or hell, gods forbid, even YEARS to get one at a reasonable price. It's sheep like you who make 'orgasm elmo' a cottage industry unto itself. "
"Why don't you try this? Buy your kids LESS cheap plastic crap and give them MORE real values, like conservation, and lack of greed, and generosity towards those less fortunate, and the value of love that can't be proven by the pile of gifts under the pagan symbol in your living room."

And about that pile of gifts. The commercials this year are appalling! From the child who dives headfirst into the HUGE pile of gifts (which include a puppy, a hockey net, a motorized bike, and who knows what all else) to get his Best Buy box, to the shrieking kids freaking out over some toy in an ad for grownups (who REALLY gets a Lexus for christmas?), the message is more blatant than usual. More blatant than ever, which in a twisted kind of way, gives me hope.

Why hope?

I'll tell you why.

Maybe the retailers are getting desperate. Maybe people really ARE consuming less. Maybe the populace is waking up to the fact that this time of year, whatever your religious affiliation or lack thereof, is not about who buys the most stuff. It's about the return of hope, the return of the light, the rebirth of the sun, or the son, the days finally getting longer and the promise of spring, just a few short months away. No matter what you believe in, the Winter Solstice happens and is worth celebrating.

Or maybe I'm sadly misguided, and the constant appeals to greed are working, for the time being.

But as ever, I have hope. I hope that people will open their eyes, that greed and consumerism will not prevail, that beauty and lasting craftsmanship will again be valued, and that the things that are really important will regain their true value, and a 1200.00 piece of plastic will not be counted among what gets you into the afterlife of your choice.

I did cheat a little, though. I asked Santa for a hot tub. I hope he comes through!

Joy to all, in all seasons.