So, I'm not typically a Grinch type. As a matter of fact I love giving gifts to others and I really don't care about receiving any gifts. Mostly because I know my friends are poor and can't get me anything, but it is the thought that counts and they always give the most thoughtful gifts. Plus, to me their friendship is a gift. No, I'm not typically this sappy either- here comes the bitchfest:
I know that Jer and I make decent money. We don't have any children and we have enough "stuff" in our lives. The one thing I look forward to every single holiday season is buying gifts for our needy families that my company adopts each year. Buying stuff for these people, especially when I get them something extra that they didn't even ask for and aren't expecting absolutely makes my holiday. The only thing that would make it better would be to watch them open the gifts, but I don't deliver them. This year there are so many things just pissing me off about the whole thing that I have to vent about it.
First off, I work with a lot of extremely wealthy people. I know this because I know how much they make per hour (that is part of my job- I'm not just being nosey). I work with people who make $300,000/year and some of them more than that, plus not to mention what their spouses make. Not the point. How much money people have is absolutely none of my business. But what I'm pissed about is that these people are the first people to bitch and complain that they didn't get enough of a bonus (mind you their bonus is like $30k a year) and they absolutely refuse to donate to our adopt a family. Granted, I don't know what other charities their money could possibly be going to, but after talking to some of these people, I highly doubt they are very charitable at all. Regardless, the list of people every year who contribute to this event are the people who make the least amount of money. Me being one of them. At my work, I'm one of the lowest on the pay scale, but I purchased the most for these families. I am not looking for a pat on the back; I didn't do it for me, I did it because these people are in need. But I just don't understand why the rich people couldn't kick in at least $50. I mean I spent $200 of my own money and it was easy for me. These people could probably throw $50 in the trash and not even realize it!
The other thing that upsets me is there is someone who is organizing this donation drive and has for a few years and I'm not entirely sure what her deal is, but she is taking the monetary donations and spending them entirely inappropriately. I don't think these people get it. Maybe they've never had to save money or know what it is like to go without things in life. So this lady took $50 and spent it on 1 bathrobe at Macy's. Anyone who has ever set foot in Macy's knows that they are EXPENSIVE. Now, I'm not saying they don't have good quality, nice things, because they do, but they are really pricey. And if you are buying something to give to a charity, shouldn't you try to stretch that dollar and get as much as you can for your money? The woman she was buying for also asked for nightgowns, but this person said "I couldn't get her any because the robe was $50". Are you out of your mind?! Walmart has bathrobes for $15.99 Hell my own bathrobe was only $20 for crying outloud. And sure I guess this person deserves a nice robe, but I bet she would have appreciated having both a robe and a few nightgowns like she asked for. But the person doing the shopping told me she has never shopped anywhere but department stores. She had never been in a Ross or TJ Maxx. Ugghhh! Problems rich people I have I guess.
On top of all of that I'm looking at the list of the families that we were given. We don't choose them, we contact the Department of Health and Human Services and they have lists of families in need and what they want for Christmas. This is going to sound really terrible, but I'm going to hell anyway so I might as well just say it: There is a woman asking for help who has 5 fucking children. 2 of her children are old enough to actually be working themselves. One is 18 and one is 17. One of her children is a 9 month old baby. I feel bad for saying this and thinking this, but I just can't help it, logic prevails--- If you are that poor, keep your goddamn fucking legs closed. I mean she was already a single mother to 4 kids and she thinks that having another one is a great idea? In this economy, already knowing that she can't support the ones she has. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking this out on the kids, I bought them a TON of gifts. Nice gifts too. I actually didn't take it out on the mother either, I bought her some nice things too. She only asked for cleaning supplies, but I got her some other little things for her to enjoy. I mean like I said, it isn't my place to dictate how many kids one can have or any of that, it just annoyed me to see that I spent so much money on one family and the other family where the lady only had 3 kids I ended up spending less in the long run because she has fewer children. But I guess that is my fault because if I had thought about it before hand I could have compensated for that. Also, I don't know either of their situations. For all I know their husbands just recently died or something. I mean I would never want to be in their shoes, and I have all the sympathy in the world for them which is why I do this every year, but part of me wants to donate my birth control pills to the woman.
Ok I'll get off my high horse now before I fall on my face. I really do feel bad for thinking these thoughts, but I can't help that I do. And I would never actually say this to anyone.
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