The Price Of Christmas,
how much do we really need?

Be prepared to pay more for your Christmas Tree this year. Unlike the giant retailers in the valley, virtually all of whom started their Holiday Sales nearly a month early, you won't find discounted prices early in the shopping season.

According to the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction, one of the largest wholesale outlets in central Pennsylvania, the most commonly available grade of Douglas Fir fetched an auction (wholesale) price of $17. This means the avaerage retail price should be in the $40 to $45 range. A similar grade Fraser Fir auctioned at $20 to $24 and will probably retail between $45 and $60. The higher cost of transportating the trees is the most commonly cited cause for the increase.

As families throughout Williamsport and the Susquehanna Valley struggle with higher gas prices and will soon face dramatically higher home heating bills one can only speculate how they will handle the expense of the holiday season above and beyond the cost of a tree.

Too many will overbuy for family members and push their credit cards to the limit. Unfortunately these bills will come due in January and February, the time when the heating bills begin to rise.

For years I always felt the best Christmas gift for someone was something they enjoyed but would never buy for themselves. Now I have to wonder if that's such a good idea. If they really, I mean really liked that item, they probably would have bought it for themselves.

Kids are easy to buy for. Just look and see what the other kids have that yours doesn't, and that's your answer. They all want the same things. Spouses and significant others are the toughest to buy for because you can never really do enough for those who actually dedicate their lives to you.

This year I'm making it simple for those who want to buy a gift for me. This year when I'm asked just what I'd like to have, I tell them all I'd like a frozen turkey. I'm going to store them all in the deep freezer in the basement and then I'll take them all at one time down to St. Anthony's or to the food bank.

How much do we really need anyway. This year I've come to the realization that I have enough. My family has enough. But there are many who don't. This year I want to concentrate my efforts on those who honestly don't have enough.