“Is Santa Becoming Obsolete?”

 

 

 

Cyberspace Christmas is here. Santa’s days are numbered. I hope the old boy has a good retirement plan and given his rotund image, adequate health insurance. Now a kid can go to some of the toy stores here in the valley and put his name on the children’s registry.

The child is given an electronic scanner and allowed to go through the store and scan any toy that strikes his fancy. Each item is then on a list that can be accessed on the Internet under the child’s name. What if grandma doesn’t have a computer to go online.  Too Bad. The poor lady will just have to wait in line at the toy store to get a printout of his list.

Gone are the days where the little tyke had to sit on the old boy’s lap and ask for a special toy. No more embarrassment of posing for pictures. Those tiring trips to the mall are over. There will be no excuses of “Santa didn’t know or he couldn’t find it” accepted either. I can hear it now. “After all, I was registered.” Soon we’ll cut out the chubby middleman entirely.

The Internet is transforming society and shaping the future. I don’t know when Christmas changed from being a  “hands on” celebration with a few little gifts for the kids, but we’re rapidly cruising down the information highway pointing and clicking our way through the transition.  According to the profusion of ads for web sites we see everywhere, you can do Christmas entirely on the Net. Order your tree from a choice of sites around the United States. UPS will drop your tree on your doorstep within two days.

You can have a personal shopper help you choose the perfect gift for everyone. The on-line “E-tailors” are becoming quite nosey. Just give the shopper your loved ones sex, vital statistics, and tastes. With a click of the little rodent, the gift is on its way to you. If you want absolutely no part in this messy Christmas business, the perfect gift can be gift wrapped and sent directly on to the recipient.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?  Is there anyone that doesn’t remember the luscious smell of the pine as your family tramped through the Christmas tree lot? When you all agreed on the perfect evergreen, Dad tied it on top the car and if it wasn’t perfect when you arrived home, you just turned the bad spot towards the wall.

Christmas is a great opportunity to introduce the little kids to the special glow of giving. After they empty their piggy banks they can carefully choose a gift for each member of the family.  I’ll admit, the lesson was lost on our middle son who only asked one question when contemplating his purchases; “Okay, but how much change do I get back?”

Do you remember the thrill of coming upon the perfect gift for that special someone?  A unique gift you found while browsing and enjoying the decorations, luscious smells and holiday music.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge computers are a productive tool in our fast paced world at work and in everyday life.  Working mothers especially need and welcome the convenience of online shopping.

Speaking of rules, I have a suggestion. Lets ban all web sites that target children young enough to still believe in Santa Claus. Around age eight or nine is soon enough for him to go scanning at the toy store.

On second thought, don’t interrupt him now. He’s probably on-line with his broker checking his Merrill Lynch account!.

 

 

 

 

“Is Santa Becoming Obsolete?”

 

 

 

Cyberspace Christmas is here. Santa’s days are numbered. I hope the old boy has a good retirement plan and given his rotund image, adequate health insurance. Now a kid can go to some of the toy stores here in the valley and put his name on the children’s registry.

The child is given an electronic scanner and allowed to go through the store and scan any toy that strikes his fancy. Each item is then on a list that can be accessed on the Internet under the child’s name. What if grandma doesn’t have a computer to go online.  Too Bad. The poor lady will just have to wait in line at the toy store to get a printout of his list.

Gone are the days where the little tyke had to sit on the old boy’s lap and ask for a special toy. No more embarrassment of posing for pictures. Those tiring trips to the mall are over. There will be no excuses of “Santa didn’t know or he couldn’t find it” accepted either. I can hear it now. “After all, I was registered.” Soon we’ll cut out the chubby middleman entirely.

The Internet is transforming society and shaping the future. I don’t know when Christmas changed from being a  “hands on” celebration with a few little gifts for the kids, but we’re rapidly cruising down the information highway pointing and clicking our way through the transition.  According to the profusion of ads for web sites we see everywhere, you can do Christmas entirely on the Net. Order your tree from a choice of sites around the United States. UPS will drop your tree on your doorstep within two days.

You can have a personal shopper help you choose the perfect gift for everyone. The on-line “E-tailors” are becoming quite nosey. Just give the shopper your loved ones sex, vital statistics, and tastes. With a click of the little rodent, the gift is on its way to you. If you want absolutely no part in this messy Christmas business, the perfect gift can be gift wrapped and sent directly on to the recipient.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?  Is there anyone that doesn’t remember the luscious smell of the pine as your family tramped through the Christmas tree lot? When you all agreed on the perfect evergreen, Dad tied it on top the car and if it wasn’t perfect when you arrived home, you just turned the bad spot towards the wall.

Christmas is a great opportunity to introduce the little kids to the special glow of giving. After they empty their piggy banks they can carefully choose a gift for each member of the family.  I’ll admit, the lesson was lost on our middle son who only asked one question when contemplating his purchases; “Okay, but how much change do I get back?”

Do you remember the thrill of coming upon the perfect gift for that special someone?  A unique gift you found while browsing and enjoying the decorations, luscious smells and holiday music.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge computers are a productive tool in our fast paced world at work and in everyday life.  Working mothers especially need and welcome the convenience of online shopping.

Speaking of rules, I have a suggestion. Lets ban all web sites that target children young enough to still believe in Santa Claus. Around age eight or nine is soon enough for him to go scanning at the toy store.

On second thought, don’t interrupt him now. He’s probably on-line with his broker checking his Merrill Lynch account!.

 

 

 

 

“Is Santa Becoming Obsolete?”

 

 

 

Cyberspace Christmas is here. Santa’s days are numbered. I hope the old boy has a good retirement plan and given his rotund image, adequate health insurance. Now a kid can go to some of the toy stores here in the valley and put his name on the children’s registry.

The child is given an electronic scanner and allowed to go through the store and scan any toy that strikes his fancy. Each item is then on a list that can be accessed on the Internet under the child’s name. What if grandma doesn’t have a computer to go online.  Too Bad. The poor lady will just have to wait in line at the toy store to get a printout of his list.

Gone are the days where the little tyke had to sit on the old boy’s lap and ask for a special toy. No more embarrassment of posing for pictures. Those tiring trips to the mall are over. There will be no excuses of “Santa didn’t know or he couldn’t find it” accepted either. I can hear it now. “After all, I was registered.” Soon we’ll cut out the chubby middleman entirely.

The Internet is transforming society and shaping the future. I don’t know when Christmas changed from being a  “hands on” celebration with a few little gifts for the kids, but we’re rapidly cruising down the information highway pointing and clicking our way through the transition.  According to the profusion of ads for web sites we see everywhere, you can do Christmas entirely on the Net. Order your tree from a choice of sites around the United States. UPS will drop your tree on your doorstep within two days.

You can have a personal shopper help you choose the perfect gift for everyone. The on-line “E-tailors” are becoming quite nosey. Just give the shopper your loved ones sex, vital statistics, and tastes. With a click of the little rodent, the gift is on its way to you. If you want absolutely no part in this messy Christmas business, the perfect gift can be gift wrapped and sent directly on to the recipient.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?  Is there anyone that doesn’t remember the luscious smell of the pine as your family tramped through the Christmas tree lot? When you all agreed on the perfect evergreen, Dad tied it on top the car and if it wasn’t perfect when you arrived home, you just turned the bad spot towards the wall.

Christmas is a great opportunity to introduce the little kids to the special glow of giving. After they empty their piggy banks they can carefully choose a gift for each member of the family.  I’ll admit, the lesson was lost on our middle son who only asked one question when contemplating his purchases; “Okay, but how much change do I get back?”

Do you remember the thrill of coming upon the perfect gift for that special someone?  A unique gift you found while browsing and enjoying the decorations, luscious smells and holiday music.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge computers are a productive tool in our fast paced world at work and in everyday life.  Working mothers especially need and welcome the convenience of online shopping.

Speaking of rules, I have a suggestion. Lets ban all web sites that target children young enough to still believe in Santa Claus. Around age eight or nine is soon enough for him to go scanning at the toy store.

On second thought, don’t interrupt him now. He’s probably on-line with his broker checking his Merrill Lynch account!.