There's very little excitement in stores now.  Clothing looks pretty much the same it's looked for the past 2 years.  

Not many "killer" items in other depts. either.  As a result, if you already have something like it, why buy another?

I thiink most consumers think they can all do more w/what they already have.  I know I do.

Much of the consumerism hype displayed during the Christmas season is exactly the reason why Christmas itself has become a "Wal Mart" holiday.  People seem to forget the real reason behind Christmas and turn it into a reason to spend foolishly.  Even if your getting "door-buster deals", it's no deal if you really can't afford it.

My wife and I were discussing that flat screen TV's are all the rage and you can get one at a good price right now.  Well, we are trying to still pay our taxes from last year and credit cards.  Since I have three TV's now and all of them still work fine, the flat screen doesn't make the list this year no matter how cheap they are. I think I may need some new socks though.  I am getting my wife a new robe and slippers and paying cash for it.

For many middle class households, purchases this season means using credit cards with an already unfavorable balance and interest rate.  Even if your getting a 0% card, many consumers do not pay attention to the rising rate that's over the hill.  Furthermore, in a time when most Americans shoud concentrate on eliminating debt, spending extra cash on the office holiday party is also foolish.  Now is a perfectly good time to speak up and say "I am tightening the belt this year and not purchasing "extra" gifts except for immediate family and I don't want any gifts from anyone else".  This way I won't feel the pressure of having to buy something.

Americans need to realize that foolish spending is what got us here to begin with. Sure, mortgage companies were more than willing to hand out "no-doc" loans and GM thought that everyone needed a new gas-guzzling SUV in their driveway.  Well, when people selling popcorn at the movie theater couldn't make their mortgage and Americans finally woke up to buying cars that save fuel costs, it's no wonder we are in the shape we are in.  Car companies and banks gambled and lost and now they want a hand-out for making stupid decisions.

I own my own business and it's up to me to make the proper projections and decisions to stay alive.  If I fail to do this, then the business fails and someone else who has done a better job will come in behind me and take over my customer base.  That is basic econimics and the U.S. has failed to realize that.  Now, because so many jobs are at stake since these industries have gotten so large and out of control, we almost have to bail them out to prevent more catastrophic widespread job loss.  Just put it on my tab.

In my Grandparents day, if they did not have the cash to buy it, it didn't get bought.  They certainly survived and did not need to rely on the knee-jerk reaction of credit card interest.  The formula is simple:  Live within your means and quite trying to impress everyone.  Find something else to satisfy your cravings beside shoppers "instant gratification".  Impression does not last long when you get your home forclosed on or your car towed away, so enjoy the holiday season with family, break out old photo albums, enjoy a good meal, throw the football in the front yard.  Quit letting Hallmark and Wal Mark run how you think about Christmas and start 2009 off with less debt to pay off as a result.