All I Want For Christmas. . .

Pages 2 and 3 of the NY Times always boggles my mind. The ads must be put out there to pull in the upper 1% of the top 1%. Read some stats this week that whereas the top 1% brings in somewhere around $970,000.00 per annum, the upper 1 % of that is well, billions. Per year. Can you imagine? Me neither.

Hence the ads for Chanel's ultra-light high-performance watch at a cool $6,100. No appeal? How about a nice Baume & Mercier ladiest diamant with diamonds for $2.995? No? Then maybe a Gucci handbag at $1,645. David Yurman has no prices on his ad, but you can bet their high. Cartier shows a snazzy watch for $2,800. Oh hell, wrap everythingup. Tiffany & Co. has a sterling silver heart charm for a mere $115.00. Trying to suck the plebs in, no doubt. Barneys has a winter sale. I actually have a sweater from Barneys bought about 20 years ago at another winter sale. Can't complain it didn't last. Macy's is pushing Santa and the puppet theatre. Lord and Taylor has fine jewelry on sale.

We strolled through downtown Wellesley today and everything is the shop windows was beyond tempting, but how much stuff can you buy and do you really need more kitchen stuff, clothes, sporting goods, electronic devices, jewlery? I realized the old Wellesley I knew years ago is gone, and the New Wellesley has taken its place. Gone, gone, gone. When the Used Clothing Sale shut down after 50 years, that was all we needed to know. All is glitz.

Sometimes, of course, one needs new dishtowels, socks, underwear and pajamas. Maybe even a winter coat. Be like the cats, they wear the same fur everyday and always look well groomed. Eat out of the same dishes, use the same litterbox. All they need is an occasional replacement for a over-used cat toy.

Give cat toys for Christmas. Meow.

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