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I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t even been looking. But now that you mention it, the entire Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue . . .
I haven’t seen that in a while!
The whole spending and thinking about how to spend thing is making me a bit ill this year so…with the exception of my son (who is getting an all expenses paid trip to the dentist because he is back in school getting his master’s degree and has a stipend that does not include dental insurance) and my $5.00 Secret Santa gift, I am only giving donations in people’s honor. Here’s the deal: Everyone on my list has all their basic needs met so why not help others’ meet theirs. Thanks to my ex-sister-in-law, I even found a great kid gift too – adopt an animal at a local zoo or aquarium, send a photo, a ticket to get in, and let them go visit their animal! I plan to spend big time this year – I am creating my own little purposeful spending spree :)!
I don’t know if Ruth will see my reply to her comment, but I LOVE her response and wish everyone I knew would do the same as she is doing. Marvelous.
YES! This is yet another reason I love you, Ruth. THIS is what the holiday giving season should be about. Not about Swarovski-encrusted Starbucks cups. Thank you, Carol, for posting this and reinforcing why I will not be buying “stuff” as gifts.
I can’t disagree, Ruth.
I’ve done plenty of ceramic. Even had a shop and there making PLENTY of profit. Unless there paying there factory worker a fair wage. If not someone is getting exploited.
There less then a dollar worth of clay in the item.
Coffee is on
I’m in the mood for a cup of your coffee.
I’m not sure why but the excess and consumerism really bothers me this holiday season, far more than it used to. And the Starbucks idiocy pretty much epitomizes how far we’ve come from what’s good and right about the season. Or at least should be.
Something bugs me about ‘bucks.
It’s typical conspicuous consumption and it should stop. There are too many other needs in the world where the money spent for this ridiculous item could be better served.
I know, I just don’t get it.
Except for my six year old granddaughter Chloe I don’t shop. Christmas presents should be for children only. Everyone else gets love and good wishes – oh, and if I have it, a couple of bucks.
Love and good wishes are great!
We kind of had this convo on FB already, but, while I agree that a $50 ornament is ridiculous, I also feel like Starbuck’s is a company that gives back, both to the communities where their stores are located, and to the employees that they pay a living wage to. That being said, I would rather, if I was going to purchase some ridiculously overpriced thing — perhaps I know someone who already has “everything” but might enjoy this ornament — I would rather do so from Starbuck’s than from, say, Wal-Mart.
Don’t get me started on WalMart.
I’ve been averting my eyes to all things commercial lately, so I have nothing to contribute. But I’m with you on this very impractical bejeweled mug. On a list of 10 thousand things I’d do with $50, buying this would not make the list.
I avert my eyes, too, most of the time.
Outrageous! I could make that for about 1o bucks! Come to think of it…maybe I will! It’s bad enough they charge so much for coffee geez.
You could probably make it for less!
Not sure I can top a bedazzled coffee cup for $50. I always thought the VS $50K bra was quite stupid: if I’m going to spend that kind of $$ on my boobs it better be to put them back where God intended them to be.
LOL on the bra!
I wonder why this billion dollar company couldn’t or wouldn’t should I say donate the proceeds to charity! Selfish!
hey, it ain’t my thing, but some people got to have their bling….
If I had a spare $50 lying around I could definitely think of other ways I’d rather spend it!
I know just what you mean….I intensely dislike the prices that are charged for food online….flowers have come down it seems but a box of a dozen cookies for $39.00?
I was in nordstroms rack last night, a lovely but simple scarf was incredibly over prices because it was a coach scarf.
But the Starbucks thing is odd…..it seems out of character for such a seemingly enlightened company
The impulse items at the register are deadly. Lots of people need to buy something quickly or they have Christmas buying fever which is a broken link between brain and wallet. Can you imagine the poor soul who receives this as a gift?
Oh, there are plenty of ridiculous fripperies like that at this time of year–in fact, that’s why I more or less turn into a hermit until January. If you want me, I’ll be over here knitting my family’s gifts. 🙂