"Made in China" Makes Me Feel Dirty

I hate Xmas.

Correction, I hate the Commercial Xmas – because I do love the family time/friend time Xmas. Why is it that parents or family have to lavish kids with useless crap that is covered in plastic packaging, padding the pockets of a communist human rights violating country, that the kids will pretty much forget about in a few days? Why do I sometimes get sucked into this vortex? I guess some habits can be hard to break and one can fall off the “wagon”, as I do live in the North American Mc-World. Tim and try to be responsible, and we don’t often buy excessive things for ourselves. We have stopped buying presents for each other at Xmas. It really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense since all the money comes from the same pot. And we really really try to buy gifts from a good place. We also don’t tend to shop at malls, or buy clothes that often (I did buy some stuff last weekend for myself at Ladyfest but they are all made from recycled stuff). I mean we do sometimes go outlet shopping in the States but are always very reserved in our spending.

So I went to Waldo-mart yesterday after my office Xmas party to finish up the Xmas shopping. I only had one more person to buy for. My sweet nephew Aiden. He’s only 5 ½ and what do you get a boy that age? Something Boyish – cars, things that blow up, Pokemon etc. But where do you have to buy such things? Walmart, Zellers etc. Now where are these items all made? Human Rights violating China. I know , I know – last year I was good and I went to Tiggy Winkles and got a European toy for the boy. I felt good. Less money in cheap toyland hands. And so far this year, Tim and I had been good with the gifts we bought the “kids” – saving Child soldiers in Africa for the older kids, and some crafts that are made from recycled items at Ladyfest, then for Marissa - a beautiful quilt made with loving hands, and an organic bamboo/soft Lamby filled bunny – again made with loving hands all from the Wakefield Craft show. The parent folks will also have very thoughtful gifts. Not a “Made in China” stamp to be found. Until yesterday.

My reasoning is this – Aiden is still too young to understand giving to the less fortunate, or saving a child in Africa, and he loves to play with stuff. So why deny that? That was what I was thinking as I entered the horrific place called Walmart. (god that place makes me feel sick). I discovered a few items I know he’ll like, and walked out. Then I got home.

Tim: “Look at all that packaging. And it’s all made in China. I’ll go to Tiggy Winkles tomorrow and get him something made in Europe”. And he went on and on…the usual rant that we both have about these big box mall stores that we sometimes enter, but never feel good about entering.

Me: “ya but, Aiden’s only 5 ½, he doesn’t care that it’s made in china! And it’s a NASCAR…Jimmie Johnson! You can control it…it’s COOL”.

Tim” ya but, look, the packaging…oh that stuff makes me feel sick to my stomach”.

Me: ”But Buddy, Aiden is too young to understand – we can’t buy him stuff like “You saved a child soldier”, from World Vision yet. What does a 5 year old play with - cars, pokemon…fun stuff. Wait until he is older to get him something that “saves the world” ”

And on and on the conversation went, while Tim was flanked on the couch by two tired cuddly terriers. I threw a blanket over his head.
Me: “Ack, live with it Dude. I ain’t taken the stuff back!”

I hate to be part of the problem, as we often talk about, but sometimes I‘m just to tired to think about what the alternatives are. It’s Xmas after all. I promised that next year, would be different. Maybe I’ll start looking in September because right now, I still feel kind of dirty.