Sunday, December 16, 2007

I'll Be Outsourcing for Christmas?

I was listening to a recent episode of the Laura Ingraham Show and the subject was Christmas decorating. Apparently, there's a new industry for the on-the-go people who just don't have enough time to put up decorations. They're hiring people to do it. Whether it's making out Christmas cards or stringing up lights, people are hiring a company to take care of the "little details" of this season because they're just too busy.

The hell?????

I understand that some of the people out there who put up more lights than the Vegas Strip might need to prepare a couple of months in advance, but who doesn't have time to write Christmas cards? You don't even have to write a long greeting, either. Just sign the thing and move on. And if you throw in a "year in review" piece, all you have to do is write one and make copies. Not much effort in either case. If you're hiring this out, maybe you should cut back on an activity or two for a day.

Even the people who take the calls for this service don't do everything. If you need help hanging lights, the company will hire out someone else to do the work. That means there's another company making money off this really odd practice. As much of a capitalist as I am, there are some things you shouldn't hire out to have done. Unless you're working every waking hour on curing cancer, AIDS, or the absolute suckiness of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" you can make the time to take care of the holiday "chores."

Decorating the house was always a big day in my house growing up. Putting up the tree, putting on the garland and foil icicles, finding spots for the ornaments, listening to Christmas songs on the stereo. These are memories I wouldn't trade for anything, and they are tasks I would hire anyone else to do in my place. And these are memories you can make with your children or just for yourselves with only a little shuffling of schedules. Christmas isn't about the decorating or the cards; it's about the feelings you bring to the work. Hiring someone to do the holiday chores for you may save you time, but you lose the heart and soul of the holiday.

Still feeling good about your decision to outsource for Christmas?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eight people were killed and another 15 wounded in violence around Iraq on Saturday, most of them police and members of neighbourhood anti-Al-Qaeda groups, security forces said.

Separately, two children were killed when a fragmentation bomb left over from the war that unseated Iraqi president Saddam Hussein exploded as they played football in a garden in the city of Karbala, south of the capital, police spokesman Rahman Mashawi said.

Two members of an Awakening, or anti-Qaeda group, were killed in Baghdad's Adhamiya district, which had recently been cleared of Al-Qaeda forces, security force said. Another 18 people were wounded when a bomb targeted the group's premises.

In the Dora district, meanwhile, two members of the self-defence group there were wounded by gunfire, police said.

As-Sahwa, or Awakening, groups have sprung up across Iraq, comprising mainly Sunni tribal leaders who have accepted money from the US military in return for confronting Al-Qaeda militants who attack civilians.

In other violence in the capital, two people were killed and two policemen wounded by bombs in the Al-Jadidah district, security officials said.

In Zaghinia, near Baquba, which is 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of the capital, three policemen were killed when they came under attack by small-arms fire, policeman Mohammed al-Karkhi said.

And in Bayaa, soutwest of Baghdad, a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into a security forces control post, killing one person and wounding three.

Anonymous said...

OK...I'm skizzed out. The topic was about family, Christmas...yet the first post in the comments is a cut and paste from the Dem Underground on dying Iraqis. I'm sorry...but if Christmas makes you think things like "dying Iraqi policemen"...then you need to back away from your computer. I actually think that commentator gets a woody thinking about dying Iraqis and America losing. I wish I wouldn't have sent boxes to soldiers in Iraq...and instead hired this fucktard a hooker. I'm sure he could sneak it in private "MAN SPACE" in his Mom's basement while she's at chruch.

Anonymous said...

Well, I read this piece, and I can see eye to eye with you: hiring people to do your Christmas decorating is WAY over the top. With your bit about the cards, the whole point is that cards are supposed to be personal: hiring someone else to write them completely eliminates that. Indeed though, getting close to your friends, family, and loved ones.

To Statigracexiv,

Just because someone practically pastes an article on a blog does not mean you have to completely insult them.