A few last minute gifts
Be nice, not naughty. Verbal abuse by shoppers has led to an increase in the need for acute-stress counseling, according to ComPsych, a provider of employee assistance programs. "Around the holidays especially, retail work environments can become hostile," says Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "Shoppers, faced with constraints on time along with family obligations, are more stressed than ever. This stress is often transferred upon retail employees, who themselves are working longer hours and dealing with the pressures of the holidays.” The need for stress counseling related to customer abuse in general has more than doubled since 2005, according to the Chicago-based company.
Maybe this year only four golden rings? If you want to get your true love everything from a partridge in a pear tree to 12 drummers drumming, it’s going to cost you. According to PNC Wealth Management’s annual economic analysis of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” the whole shebang rings up to $18,920 in 2006, a 3.1% increase over last year. The largest dollar increase this year resulted from rising labor costs – exceeding the rate of inflation for the first time in years. According to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Company, nine Ladies Dancing earned $4,759, 4% more than in 2006, compared to a raise of 3% for Lords-a-Leaping. The musicians, Drummers Drumming and Pipers Piping, earned 3.4% more compared with 2005. But pity the Maids-a-Milking, the only service providers who didn’t see an increase this year – these poor ladies only get the federal minimum wage, $5.15 an hour since 1997.
Fifteen minutes of holiday fame. Those who go all out decking the halls and want to share the results with folks outside their neighborhood can add their homes to http://www.MyChristmasWonderland.com. The site, sponsored by Frankenmuth, MI-based Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, gives holiday light lovers a place online to show their displays to the world. Users can post pictures of their houses, which visitors can view by clicking on a map of the country. The site also sells lights and decorations for those looking for a bit more seasonal glam. Bronner’s supplied decorations for the new movie “Deck the Halls,” starring Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick.
Me, I want a hula hoop! After years of being unlisted, Santa Claus has now made his number public. With the help of the elves at TollFreeForwarding.com, children can now leave a voice mail of their Christmas wish list for the man in red. The free service, at http://www.telesanta.com, captures messages and delivers them by e-mail to anyone who signs up for the service. Children call a toll-free number and listen to a message from Santa, who asks them what they want. Moments later, the message is sent to Mom or Dad via e-mail in a .wav file of the child’s own voice. And no worries about shifty reindeer listening in--TeleSanta does not save the messages.
An important gift. If you’re looking to give something vital this season, thing about sharing a bit of yourself. Specifically, your blood. The New York Blood Center is predicting a severe blood shortage in December that could require rationing to area hospitals and patients if blood supply levels do not improve. Past and potential donors, and those who want to host a blood drive at their job or in their community are urged to call 1-800-933-BLOOD or go to http://www.nybloodcenter.org to find a convenient blood drive or donation location in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and New Jersey. New York Blood Center needs close to 2,000 donors a day in order to adequately serve the patient transfusion needs of nearly 200 New York and New Jersey community hospitals. For more information about giving blood nationally, visit http://www.givelife.org.
