Note from Joyce: During this Veteran’s Day weekend, I’d like to feature a colleague, Dr. Diane Sukiennik, as guest blogger. She focuses on an important and worthy consideration that makes a lot of sense. I’ll follow up with additional ideas in weeks leading to Thanksgiving and all the December celebrations.
Birth of a New Tradition
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!
• Everyone gets their hair cut now and then. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?
• Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
• Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
• Are you one of those givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a foreign made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like their driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or enjoy a few rounds at the local golf course.
• There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast diner. This isn’t about big box stores or National chains — this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.
• How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by an American worker?
• Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? She’d probably LOVE services of a local cleaner for a day.
• My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some person struggling to get his or her repair business up and running.
• OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
• Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or show at your hometown theatre? Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
• Do you REALLY need to buy another thousand lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mail carrier, trash hauler, or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so other countries can build their economies. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.
Forward this concept to folks on your mailing list — post it to discussion groups — send it to the editor of your local paper or radio stations. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn’t that what holidays are about? Blessings to everyone for a safe and joyous holiday season.
NOTE: Diane Sukiennik is a career counselor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and an internationally recognized lecturer and workshop facilitator. She holds advanced degrees from Columbia University and Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Sukiennik was faculty at Moorpark College in CA for 37 years. Her expertise is around career development, presentation, and managerial effectiveness. She is a consultant, has a private practice, has contributed to the development of a nationally distributed telecourse on career and life development called “Career Advantage” distributed by PBS. She also turned a lifelong passion into a popular website, www.foodandwineaccess.com
