Family Tradition

There is a firm rule in our house—you must believe in the spirit of Christmas to receive a gift. The magic of Santa may have faded as the years piled on, but what he stood for never has. In my mind, Santa represents the spirit of giving within all of us. And most giving starts with one thing—shopping.

Since before I can remember, my family has always gone shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We don’t do the whole Black Friday thing with all of its door-busting and getting in line at 3 a.m. to save $10. For us, it’s more of a take-your-time, enjoy yourself, fun family tradition.

When I was younger, I always wanted to join my mother and Aunt Donna on their shopping excursion. It seemed like so much fun! They shopped locally owned, small businesses before it was trendy and cool. My mother’s good friend owned a toy store in Baton Rouge called Victoria’s Toy Station. That was their main reason for going shopping every year. They would spend all day hitting the small boutique shops and enjoying one another’s company. I wanted to go because I thought it would be fun. I also thought if I went, maybe I could even score a few extra presents!

As I reached my early teen years, my mom and Aunt Donna decided I was old enough to join them on their annual shopping trip. I asked my friend Kate to join me. We were so excited! Well, that excitement was pretty short-lived. We realized that shopping was also a very serious matter among my family members. They hit the stores with their lists ready. (My mom even has a book of what she gave who last year so she doesn’t give the same gift twice.) They have been known to spend over two hours in Victoria’s Toy Station picking out the perfect toy for even the youngest family member. They literally shopped until someone dropped.

I have a very clear memory of crawling beneath a Christmas tree with Kate and collapsing, unable to go any further, hoping they wouldn’t find us so we could get just a moment’s rest.

Several years passed before I attempted to join the ladies on their quest again.

Now, as an adult, our little group continues to make our pilgrimage every year. Aunt Donna, my cousins Kristen and Kim, my mom and I pile into our cars that Friday morning and head to Baton Rouge. Our first stop is still Victoria’s. All these years later, she still looks for our bright faces at opening time on that Friday. Her daughter now helps to run the shop, and we look forward to seeing pictures of her own sweet baby girl that might one day help us to shop in her grandmother’s store. We still take our time with our careful selections as we buy for a whole new generation.

This special day is one I look forward to every year. It’s a Christmas tradition that reminds us of the importance of family and the spirit of giving.

Keeping It Local

We tell small children to write their letters to Santa early enough so that Santa’s elves have time to make the toys they wish for. The mighty elves at Neiman Marcus follow the same rules, too. The department store puts out its Christmas Book in mid-October, including a list of Dream Gifts that the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent can probably afford. A tradition dating back to 1926, this year’s dreams include his-and-her fountains, an around-the-world flower show tour and a custom-designed yurt (complete with pillows from Rebecca Vizard of St. Joseph, La., and a custom, hand-crafted crystal chandelier from New Orleans-based Julie Neill Designs).

As I was perusing this year’s selection of unobtainable items, I noticed something interesting. As a reward for purchasing such an elaborate gift, Neiman Marcus will donate a portion of the proceeds to select charities; for example, in return for purchasing the $1 million his-and-her fountains designed by WET, of Bellagio fountain fame, Neiman Marcus will donate $10,000 to water.org, an organization that provides safe drinking water in developing countries.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with this idea of buying something that gives to a larger, worldwide nonprofit or organization. I personally purchased pink items during the month of October because a portion of the proceeds went to help with breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I know research from these larger charities could very well save my life, or the life of another.

But there are many charities right here in the Houma-Thibodaux area that could use our donations, too. Many of them host their own fundraiser, with silent auctions full of donated items from local merchants and artisans. Junior Auxiliary of Houma will host their annual Denim and Diamonds event on Nov. 3. The proceeds go right back into Terrebonne Parish to help fund service projects dedicated to the well-being of women and children. TFAE will host Great Conversations on Nov. 8 to help provide local kindergarteners in public schools with an educational book of their own. These are just two small examples of local organizations that take your donations and return them back to your community where you choose to live, work and raise your family.

Other ways to give back locally include volunteering your time by joining a local service organization, such as Rotary, Junior Auxiliary or Habitat for Humanity. Donate old clothing to TARC’s Cedar Chest and help provide this amazing group of citizens with a meaningful employment opportunity. Or give the greatest gift of all—life—by donating blood at a local blood bank.

You can always give back to your community through the simple act of shopping locally. As you flip through the pages of this month’s magazine, notice all the local advertisements for independent retailers. By purchasing the products they sell or the services they offer, you help to keep your hard-earned money in this community.

What are some of the charities that are close to your heart? Share them with our readers by logging onto our Facebook page and starting a conversation. Introduce a whole new generation to the importance of giving.

Another Man's Treasure

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

If you could find an original, authenticated, autographed copy of this quote from the guy that first said it, someone in my new TV lineup would probably buy it and then make a small fortune selling it to a collector he just happens to know.

I have been relentlessly watching shows with historical value that provide me with endless entertainment, like “Auction Hunters,” “Storage Wars,” “Pawn Stars” and “American Pickers.” I can’t get enough of these colorful characters, most of whom make a living buying and selling old storage lockers and units. They never hesitate to bid, and sometimes continue to bid just to drive up the price for a competitor.

My favorite character on these shows is a toss-up between Ton from “Auction Hunters,” who loves stuff with motors, guns and things that go boom, and Dave from “Storage Wars,” whose unmistakable “Yeeepppp!” can be heard from across the parking lot of the storage facility he is bidding at.

One of the reasons I like these shows is the information I receive—amazing facts that I learn as my favorite vultures descend upon their new moneymaker. I have learned more about Americana than I ever thought possible. As items are discovered, a short history of the items and why they are valuable is given. I have learned about collectibles like flintlock firearms, Oswald clocks, circus posters and political paraphernalia, such as buttons and dolls.

The people in these shows view everything with dollar signs in mind. It makes the pack rat in me wonder how much potential value is hidden away in my attic or garage. But even if I did have a priceless piece of “who-knows-what,” I wonder if I would even consider that “whatchamacallit” to be valuable, or just an old “thingy” that was inherited. Then comes the big question: Who in the world do I sell it to?

These shows have endless resources willing to authenticate, give historical significance to and appraise items ... and a never-ending array of vendors ready to buy their newly acquired junk, or should I say ... treasure?