A proposition to all pet owners

Last year Americans (while realising some of you don't live in the u.s.) spent a sum of 3 or so billion dollars on our pets for Christmas. When i heard that i was horrified. i realise we all love our pets very much and feel they should celebrate this holiday with us. But think about it, do they understand the significance of it? I don't think so, but people do. how many families who live in poverty could have had heat, a warm meal, new clothes, a christmas tree, and presents go under it with 3 billion dollars? I think instead of spending money on our pets this Christmas (beside the necesities, of course) we should give the money we would have spent on our pets to a charity, oraganization, or take a family or child to buy presents for them, if they can't afford them. (visit your local churches for such cards, and hurry! they're running out of time) Think of how many lives we can change, or even make that much better with 3 billion dollars. if we have that much excess money then we shouldn't even flinch to give it to charity. thanks and happy holidays.

 

I have to admit I don't buy my pets presents for holidays or their birthdays as I figure I spend on them all year and keep them very healthy and happy. Since they have no concept of the true meaning of Christmas, and I'm sure couldn't care less....I figure that providing them with a loving and caring home should do it for them or at least I hope it does.

But I agree....but then again this is a country of excess. I wouldn't buy a Hummer either :roll: imagine filling one of those things to go Christmas shopping at $2.00 + a gallon.

 

id never stop giving my pets xmas presents! they just love the abundance of toys etc too much. i donate my fair share to charity anyways.

 

Booger will have a happy xmas, but we never ignore food drives or when Am Vets leaves a bag at our door for donations. We have fallen on extremely hard times in the past and had to rely on the local food pantry's for food. We will never forget and will always give. And not just around the holidays. Hunger and need is year round.

 

well....i dont buy any of my animals presents on those days, not that i disagree with buying them gifts on holidays....they just have alot of toys to begin with, and some of the toys they like best are homemade...like paper balls.

i give to animal charities...and i think its a great idea horsechild. our animals have nice warm homes and love, which is the most important gift, and there are people and animals out there suffering. and its always easy to rationalize why you dont need to change something, so as to keep your own comfort level.

personally, i think its admirable of you to make the post. :wink:

 

Lynnhaz- i don't buy gifts for my pets on christmas either. they get love and warmth and food and everything, and i don't think they could care less what day they get all that on. though i'm not against giving gifts to pets either.

Cassie- That's great that you give back when you can. people need help sometimes and that is fine. my mom and i work at a sharing tree thing where you make these cards and people go out and buy gifts for families that can't affoard them. out if 1200 people 30 or so families need financial aid at the holidays. it's a sad number really.

Kyles- that's just fine.

Mary- boy hummers are expensive aren't they? we went to denver and a whole bunch of people drove thorugh krispy kreem in hummers. they look like a pain to drive too.

 

Those are very nice thoughts and deeds horse_child. I like to buy my kitties prezzies all year round, but nothing frivolus or expensive. Recently, I'm in a habit of making beds for them. I also enjoy giving to organizations like Ten Lives Club, or our local Meals on Wheels. You just made me realize how fortunate we are to be where we're at. I've been through poverty and I know what it's like to not have. But I was always happy. Back then, my family was too "stupid" to look for charity. We didn't know charity existed. LOL's. Nowadays we give whenever we can- friends in need always came first, then strangers. Happy holidays!

 

I was at the gas station beside someone filling their Hummer. They had started before I even drove in. I filled up my little Kia Sephia ($15), went in to pay, came out and the Hummer man was still filling up when I drove off!!!! Can't imagine how much that cost.

I just left a fundraiser event being held for the shelter today - I'm pleased to report that people were buying raffle tickets and donating in droves in the 3 hours I was there :y_the_best: but people were buying very little at the craft fair. So even while people are shopping I see lots of goodwill coming through

 

Mary, I think those Hummers are ugly! LOL's. It's just a big box. $15 for a fillup, that's terrific! I have to spend $22 each time. :shock:

 

doesn't sound like much but the Kia doesn't have a very large gas tank either :? I can make $15 last a week if I only go to work and home...but then again that's about all I do during the week

 

How do they rate for crach test. we are looking for a car for me, and i can't affoard too much in gas. :roll: That sounds pretty good, i'll tell my dad about it.

 

Heh, one of my favorite cartoons is Fox Trot and they recently ran a series of strips dedicated to the dad going to an auto dealer to check out the 'Humbler". The first strip, he was standing in front of the 'Humbler' and it literally towered over him. It looked more like a building than an automoble. I was laughing. Then a strip or two later, the father is test driving the 'Humbler' and asks the dealer about the gas milage and the dealer replies something like 40MPG over the road and 30MPG about town. Then the dealer points out that MPG stand for 'meter per gallon'. I was horselaughing.

 

Well back to the original topic, I personally am below the poverty line and still my pets get christmas presents. I have all the neccesities I need, and Christmas is a big deal in my family, and my pets are part of my family. The way I see it that would be like telling my son on Christmas " well honey i didn't get you any toys because you have a home heat and food so i gave the money to poor kids!" Sorry just not gonna happen! I feel terrible for those kids, I volunteer at shelters and for the toy drives and such. But the bottom line is my family comes first. I would not expect those people to take something away from their children to give to mine and my pets ARE also my children.

 

I literally had to say that to my son when he was about 14. To this day it still breaks my heart. Hubby's mother came over Christmas afternoon with several gifts for him and I just sat on my couch and cried.

It was that thanksgiving that I had to ask the local foodbank for food and our electricity was cut out twice that winter. I had to hock the few things that my parents left me to get the power restored. Aside from the food bank, I didn't know where to go for help. That's why I give frequently and when ever I can now that we're better off.

 

Let me say I never meant to offend. I have aslo had to rely on toys for tots Food banks ect. I guess I feel the way I do because well I am basically poor. I just meant that after neccesities literally evey penny I have goes to my kids and animals. I wouldn't not get my animals a gift and donate it to someone else. Does that make sense?

 

I think everyone does what they can and that is good, some can help more than others and somecan't. My older bro.s and sisters always talk about the one Xmas where they each got their favorite cereal for Xmas and that was all my parents could afford. By the time I was a kid we really didn't celebrate Xmas by giving gifts and stuff just spending time together. I think that is what xmas should be about being with the people you love, I know that is hard to explain to a little kid. But xmas really is just so over commercialized, people need to remember why we have xmas, it isn'T for santa and presents and crap (even if that is nice) it was when jesus was born and that is what should be celebrated (I am not christian, so I don't celebrate it) here where I live they have a day called St. Nikolaus day (Dec 6) where the kids get a present for being good from the saint Nikolaus. I think that is a much better idea than going way over budget and spending money you don't have (many people go into serious debt over xmas) but I don't have kids, maybe my opinion will change when I do have them.
Anyway, homeless people are homeless everyday of the year, not just xmas, they need food and clothing more than they do a nice pretty doll (although a pretty little doll would make a little girl happy) So don'T froget about them in July they are here year round.
But back to the hummer stuff here is some info: (which BTW has 42 gallons in its tank, 25 gallons in the normal tank and 17 in the extra.
http://www.humvee.net/hid/fuel/mpg.html
Fuel & Fuel Systems/Mileage:

Any for you guys paying $15 and 22, we pay $65 per fillup in our Diesel VW Golf! you are lucky to be in America!!

 

If I had to choose I would give money to charity before I bought cristmas presents to my cat. I don't think it's wrong to buy something for pets though, it's fun to see how much they enjoy playing with new toys :wink: But like Lynn said: sometimes it's the homemade toys they enjoy the most. And I believe the best thing i have to offer my pet is unconditional love all year round.
I'll probably buy some cat treats for Kyrre to give him on christmas eve (they are cheap, and he loves them), but he will probably be most excited about the gift wrappings and ribbons. Can't wait to see that :lol:

About the gas... We have a Toyota Camry, and we have to pay about $65 too. That usually last a week or two, depending on how much we have to drive. And Norway is supposed to be "the oil nation"... Where do you live lil96??

 

vene...you are such a gem...to make those things for the charities.

and i relate about the gas issue. lil...i have a passat...and it costs me 30 dollars to fill up.

i think what i am saying, and a couple other people who posted are saying, is....there are many many animals and people who are suffering out there. truly suffering. and if we can be more reasonable about where our money goes at holiday time...the figures stand for themselves. if people could even put half of what they give to their own animals...to charities...it would help trememdously. 1.5 billion dollars could save alot of animals lives...or give people clothes and food. no one is saying deprive your own pets.

 

Exactly what i was trying to say lynnhaz, i don't really form words for what i really mean, you know?
For example,
3 teenagers died in a town about 1 hour away from us because they were going like 80 (i think) on "rollercoaster road" lost control of the truck and died on impact. One of the 1st resuce people on the scene was the father of the driver. Our high school has about 180 people in it. We decided to donate 3 trees in honor of the lost students. 50 cents from each person we could buy those trees and plant them. that is only from 180 people. think of how much money could be made if millions of people donated 50 cents. together a little can make alot.

 

well i also dont buy my pets xmas presents..only bc i buy them so much during the year..lol..but i do "adopt" Salvation army angels every year..which reminds me i have to go shopping tomorow for my little boy and his sister.