I got my Christmas on this weekend.
After detoxing from much family time, I got my car in gear and budget in gear to willingly sacrifice it all at Big Lots!. Now a friend/colleague of mine (my frolleague) opened my eyes to the wonder that is Big Lots!. It was there I perused the aisles of rejected item after item that makes me wonder how we can be in a recession if manufactures can still produce boat loads of crap. Sometimes I like to imagine the kind of meetings the idea guy has with the boss man at these companies:
Boss Man: So, what do you have for us that’s new this year
Idea Guy: Well, it’s pretty great. What we’ll do is take a pickle, ok you with me so far?
Boss Man: Indeed, pickles. Check.
Idea Guy: And we put a face on the pickle, some sunglasses and maybe even a Hawaiian shirt and we’ll put legs on him and some flip flops.
Boss Man: I like flip flops.
Idea Guy: And we’ll pre-program a song on the box that Pickle Man is standing on to play, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” by Linda Rhonstadt which will of course be sensor activated to any audible cackle—not laugh, but cackle.
Boss Man: Hmmmm, do we have a budget for this?
Idea Guy: Absolutely.
Boss Man: Will it take away from the corporate team’s bonus?
Idea Guy: No. But the budget for this will infringe upon the retirement plans of most long-standing employees.
Boss Man: I think most people will understand that this piece of art is an investment. Where do I sign?
(Coming back from a long-winded Family-Guy-tangent) I’d like to compare Big Lots! To Venture, but Target is the new Venture and Big Lots! is amazingly in a league of its own. But for those with the time and the tight budgets, I sifted until I found a Miracle on 34th Street Christmas collection at the price of a Charlie Brown Christmas collection.
That’s right.
