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WotD: Chunk of change
Christmas is just around the corner, which causes me to think of certain things.
You may imagine I’m thinking of candy canes, Santa Claus, turkey, and presents, but actually, what I’m thinking about is money.
Christmas costs a hefty chunk of change.
A chunk of change is a lot of money.
In many ways, non-Christians are extremely lucky that they don’t celebrate Christmas.
All of the advertising and cultural traditions surrounding Christmas emphasize a time of plenty – huge feasts, mountains of presents stacked under the Christmas tree and, of course, snacks galore.
None of that comes for free.
So, I did a bit of research on the rectangle of knowledge.
Last year the average amount each Canadian spent on Christmas gifts was C$1,276.
That is not pocket money! That is a big chunk of change!
If each Canadian spends that much, how much do Americans spend?
Well, in 2020, the average American incurred a debt of US$1,381 for Christmas spending.
Wow! That is a fair chunk of change right there!
Christmas is expensive!
In 2021, inflation is out of control in North America.
Everything from apples to gasoline has increased in price.
This year Christmas may be the most expensive ever.
While all of this sounds very serious, it also makes me wonder how the heck Santa does it.
Has he struck deals with logistics companies to have his orders delivered early?
It’s a good thing he uses reindeer because the cost of flying around the world in one night would be tremendous once you factor in the price of fuel.
Anyway, I just wanted to bring a little bit of reality into Christmas.
Although most people will have a great Christmas, the bills will begin to arrive In January, and they will be for a fair chunk of change.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 72.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.