I am ambivalent about the Salvation Army

[question everything]

I have been donating money - to help with food and shelter. Also to local food banks and homeless shelters (which is why I did not participate in the DU campaign for Obama).

However recently, in the local news, they were commenting of not having enough toys.

Toys?

Yes, I realize that a child's heart can be broken if "Santa" forgot him but perhaps this would be the time to at least move to just one gift.

Yes, as a child I loved gifts, however we always got just one at a time. I've never understood the custom of giving each member of the family 3 or 5 or 8 gifts from one person - a parent or a spouse.

Perhaps some of the more privileged kids can donate a toy that he or she no longer finds attractive and, in most cases, is pretty much new.

OK, start the flamefest.

[panader0]

1. At Christmas my girlfriend asks me what do I want

I say, the same thing I wanted for my birthday, and it doesn't cost a dime.

[question everything]

2. Good for you.

And if you ever start a family, I hope that you will continue to limit the cost of gifts.

[panader0]

3. I have three teenagers. They want cash.

[lies and propaganda]

6. bwhahahahha!

thats always what my bf wants as well; 0

[Sedona]

4. My daughter and her boyfriend requested hand me downs

for his two year old daughter's birthday party. It was just as fun for her to open wrapped presents and young couples struggling to raise thier own kids didn't have a hardship to come to the party.

[AngryOldDem]

5. No flamefest here.

But what they're saying is, the number of families that are requesting assistance are outpacing the SA's resources. And in these times, that's not difficult to imagine.

And new or gently used toys -- they'll take them.

As for the one-gift idea, I'm with you there, too. This year, my kids are getting one gift from me and one from their dad. That's it. Compare that to their cousins, who will most likely get the usual Toys R Us showroom, most of which they'll no longer find "attractive" as of Dec. 26.

[question everything]

7. Thanks. And, perhaps, some parents will quickly

put many of the toys aside and if the kids do not ask for them later that year, to give them next year to other worthy causes.