Save Christmas dollars ... or spend them on the kids
Commentary: Many gifts go unused after holidays

By John Williams

Published: November 12, 2008

You’re probably like me. You’d rather sacrifice spending Christmas money to spoil your spouse and kids and buy nothing for yourself. Really, I don’t need a thing.

As I look around my house I see too many things that have not been used much since they were bought. I did learn three chords on my electric guitar and after purchasing a treadmill, my wife and I managed to lose about $350 between us. And for the person who bought me the espresso machine last year, thanks. I’ve used it twice.

So if anyone from my family is reading this and is looking for a hint of what to buy me for Christmas — save your money and blow it on the children. However, I did see an electric cheese grater in a catalogue that looked interesting.

Rising costs

In the week after the election to build a $31.5 million public safety center in Edmond, readers have been voicing their opinions on what happened.

Julia E. Burns of Edmond said she thinks part of the reason the safety center proposition failed has to do with rising costs of "just about everything” without commensurate income. "In my case, however, it seemed as if they were asking for much more than they would need in the near future. Was thought given to space savings when there is a consolidation into one building?” she said.

Your thoughts!