China now owns Xmas

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Went into three different stores yesterday looking at several varieties of lights, decorations, etc. Not a SINGLE item from extension cords to lights to ornaments to fake trees to wrapping paper NOT made in China. Sad.

equality72521 · 12-14-2007, 06:50 AM

Irony. The stuff produced to celebrate the birth of Christ being made in a communist country because the capitalist country who wants the stuff to celebrate the birth of Christ can't afford to pay their people to make it. The very people who want this stuff are the people who shop at Wal-Mart because their prices are cheaper. These people now force the companies in America to out source to China. These people lose their jobs making Christmas decorations and now can't afford to buy them because they are out of work. Very simplified but it gets the point across.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Yes, yes and yes.

It just blew me away that there was not a SINGLE item that I could find that was still made here in the U.S.A. Not a one.

I did buy some chapstick (it's been dry here lately). That's still made here in the U.S.A. So is 3M tape. For now anyway. I guess my wrapping paper will be newspapers or "reuses" this year. Maybe I'll use "throwaway" drawings from the office (architectural offices toss out a frightful amount of paper every day, even when they try to conserve). A few years ago when I was flying for a living, I wrapped all my gifts with expired sectional charts and Jepp approach plates. People actually liked that.

Just boggles me that China has so completely taken over an "American" (or at least "western") celebration. Frightening.

osidak · 12-14-2007, 07:34 AM

and if you pay attention to the boxes that the lights come in about 90% of the warn of lead content

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

they light you long time

but what does snowman think?

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra, ra ra.....

The Gaijin · 12-14-2007, 07:52 AM

Christmas was farmed out to the Japanese in the 50's. Then to Korea and Taiwan in the 60's and 70's. Mexico and Nafta tried in the 80's and 90's and failed. So yes, all the trimmings are made in China. So what? As long as Scotch comes from Scotland and I cook my own goose, I don't care.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

First time I went to China was in late January and they still had Xmas decorations up everywhere. I hear real Xmas trees are all the rage there now and quite expensive.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by equality72521

Irony. The stuff produced to celebrate the birth of Christ being made in a communist country because the capitalist country who wants the stuff to celebrate the birth of Christ can't afford to pay their people to make it. The very people who want this stuff are the people who shop at Wal-Mart because their prices are cheaper. These people now force the companies in America to out source to China. These people lose their jobs making Christmas decorations and now can't afford to buy them because they are out of work. Very simplified but it gets the point across.

I dunno. All the Xmas tree, trimmings and Santa Claus stuff have about as much to do with the birth of Christ as the Easter Bunny and colored eggs have to do with his resurrection. I don't see much irony here at all. Xmas decorations get used for a week or two a year and then get either tossed in the garbage or stored in the attic for another 50 weeks. What's the point of paying more than you have to for it?

RickM · RickM's Garage

Since the battle to purchase US made lights may be lost, perhaps using LED replacements is another way of fighting back.

They use up to 95% less energy.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

The LED ones (even the ones by Phillips that I looked at) were also all made in China.

RickM · RickM's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

The LED ones (even the ones by Phillips that I looked at) were also all made in China.

Yes, but they use less US made energy.

Mo_Gearhead · 12-14-2007, 10:56 AM

How about this...
Start your own company! Here in the USA!

Manufacture Christmas lights, aluminum trees, ornaments, tinsel, wrapping paper, light bulbs, tape, chapstick, ...whatever.

Pay all your employees a 'living wage', give them health care benefits, lots of vacation, mandated 'personal leave', be sure your workplace is OSHA safe, etc.

Now stop the bytchin and get out there and compete with all the third world/developing counties.

Good luck with that.

RickM · RickM's Garage

I know artificial trees are still made here. One of the largest manufacturers is here in NJ.

Hendog · Hendog's Garage

I went into a local drug store to buy some Christmas cards the other night. Not to bad looking but instead of "Merry Christmas" they printed "Happy Christmas" which is when I knew to look on the back knowing it would say Made in China". I ended up at Wal-Mart buying Hallmark Cards, Printed in the US and correctly announcing Merry Christmas.

scottmandue · 12-14-2007, 11:28 AM

I'm taking up glass blowing and making my own lights!

Take that you commie anti Christmas ba$tards!

They should be done around 2015... I'm taking orders... they should be around $1500 for a ten foot string.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hendog

I went into a local drug store to buy some Christmas cards the other night. Not to bad looking but instead of "Merry Christmas" they printed "Happy Christmas" which is when I knew to look on the back knowing it would say Made in China". I ended up at Wal-Mart buying Hallmark Cards, Printed in the US and correctly announcing Merry Christmas.

I think Happy Xmas is what they say in England.

jluetjen · jluetjen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by osidak

and if you pay attention to the boxes that the lights come in about 90% of the warn of lead content

That's nothing new. There has been (and continues to be) Pb in electronics, Christmas lights included. They lights are no worse or less safe then the ones that you happily used 5, 10 or 20 years ago. You're just now aware of the lead. There is a major industry wide initiative ongoing to remove lead from everything. For example, most semiconductor packaging, and cell phones have little if any lead in them. Mil-Aero is still hanging on with lead, and car battaries. Given that car batteries contain more lead them almost all of the rest of the car's electronics combined, worrying about a little bit of lead in Christmas lights is silly. I bet you within a few years even the lights will be Pb-Free. One of the semiconductor packaging factories that I work with is only a couple of years old and located in China, and the government regulations forbid them to use Pb or non-RoHS materials.

Getting yourself tied up over the Christmas lights from China having Pb in them is really silly.

Rot 911 · 12-14-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhoward

Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra, ra ra.....

ROFLOL!

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jluetjen

Getting yourself tied up over the Christmas lights from China having Pb in them is really silly.

I usually ask to be tied up with leather straps and those fur-lined handcuffs instead of lead-lined Chinese Christmas tree lights, but that's just me.

What were we talking about again?