I'm out of here (for a week anyway)

I’m out of here tomorrow, heading to North Carolina for a week. I’ll try to get a post or two in while I’m on the road, but don’t hold your breath. I may be to busy trout fishing in the surf, or chowing down on oysters and shrimp, or visiting relatives. It has been almost 20 years since I’ve been home on Christmas Day! And what a year to go back to the Old North State! According to a post in Laurie’s blog (Slowly She Turned), I discovered that some think my home state consist of a bunch of Scrooges at Christmas. Check out the article in the Greensboro News Record. Some big-name accounting firm discovered that Tarheels are spending on average, $1,871 for holiday purchases. WOW, and that’s cheap? According to the article it is less than both the national and the regional spending for Christmas! I can’t believe it! Then, they said that North Carolina charitable giving (which is higher than regional and national averages) is $291. Supposedly, these numbers somehow indicate we’re all Grinches down there (I'd thought we'd get a pat on the back for being above average in giving). I wonder what Christ thinks about a holiday named after him, in which we spend six times more on ourselves and our friends and family than on those in need? Leave it to an accounting firm to determine Christmas joy by the amount people spend. With that thought, I’m out of here. Take care and have fun.