An American Christmas

[Larry Edgerton]

In conversation recently my wife and I came to a conclusion on what we are doing for Christmas presents.

All of the presents that we buy will be manufactured in the USA.

The deindustrailization of the USA has us concerned, and it would seem to us to be hypocritical to go out and buy a bunch of stuff from countries whos policies are not in our best interest. The trade imbalance is a concern, and so we will not contribute to it this year. Further our presents will make other Americans we don't even know have a better Christmas, because it will make their jobs just a wee bit more secure.

The guys were easy, they are all getting either Lie-Nielson planes [employees] or Bean Boots that are still made in Maine.

The women are my wifes problem, but she did purchase a couple of handmade sweaters from a local woman who was happy to have the business.

I feel good about this decision.

Larry

[Paul McGaha]

Glad you guys feel like that Larry.

As you said for the men it's probably a lot easier than shopping for the women or the kids.

PHM

[Belinda Barfield]

I'm not sure about shopping for the kids, but the women on my list are pretty easy. I'm doing the same thing as Larry and the Mrs., as I've done for the past couple of years. Most of the women on my list are getting a gift basket including hand made soaps made on a local farm that is struggling to be self sustained. The rest of the items in the gift baskets I'm making myself. My only hiccup is the SOs mother. We're giving her a gift card this year as she has recently moved to a new house and there are several things she wants/needs that I can't choose for her. The hiccup is that she is one serious Wal-Mart shopper. Somethings just can't be helped I suppose.

[Larry Edgerton]

I stopped on the way home and was going to pick up some Lincoln Logs for my neices that are always building houses with their Lego set.

They were not made in the USA. Kind of funny when you think about it....

Got home and did a search and found Roy Toys, log sets made in Maine. Ordered some. So far, the boots, planes and toy logs that I have bought are all made in Maine. Seems we have a winner......

Larry

[Dave Lehnert]

This year we have kinda done the same sort of thing. We have been shopping in towns who are struggling. We may be buying import stuff but supporting the shop owner who sells it. Most often the owner is running the register. To buy something made in the USA at that same store is the best overall.

One town we go to often is Wilmington Ohio. DHL was locate there and closed down. 7,000 jobs lost. The town population is only 12,000. If you don't know Wilmington Ohio it is basically corn fields with a HUGE! abandoned DHL hub. We all got in the car this year and had Thanksgiving dinner at a family owned restaurant there.
Rachael Ray did a show from there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo49ufTsFJU

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/business/11dhl.html

[Rod Sheridan]

Larry, that's a great approach.

My personal approach is that I don't accept Christmas presents. It's not that I don't like Christmas or presents however about 7 years ago I realised that I had everything I could reasonably want, and then some.

At that point I stopped accepting Christmas presents so my familly buys Christmas dinner for 75 people in my name.

Gifts from friends are donations to charitable organisations.

I do buy presents for younger nieces and nephews (my familly has always had a 16 years of age cutoff for non imediate familly members).

As to buying stuff made in the USA, yes it's #2 on my list, after that it's EU countries.

Regards, Rod.

[Andy Muckle]

LN tools and LL Bean are great, how about some fine Bourbon to add a little reqional variety!

Andy

[Larry Edgerton]

Rod

There are a lot of people in my family that make a lot less than I do, so it is fun for me to buy something for them that they would otherwise not own. I'm the same way, North America first, then any country that treats its citizens fairly and allows a living wage. Just bought two new Husqvarnas, made in Sweden. I'm not an isolationist, I just only do business with friends.

I on the other hand am the most spoiled SOB on the face of the earth. I have a nice home, an awesome wife, great kids [and they are all grown!] and a wonderful granddaughter, another on the way. I have more tools than any one man should have, and I pity the fool that gets my name at the family Christmas. I'm just spoiled rotten.....

I like that Bourbon idea!

I bought some chocolates for my customers from a small shop in Colorado. Best chocolate in the world!

Larry

[Joe Angrisani]

LN tools and LL Bean are great, how about some fine Bourbon to add a little reqional variety!

But what if they use French oak barrels in the aging process? :)

[Paul McGaha]

I saw a tv show about the Jack Daniels plant one time on the history channel. How the make those oak barrels was pretty interesting. Actually spend a lot of labor making them on site. Have a large supply of beautiful wood there. Sorry to get off topic.

PHM

[Rod Sheridan]

But what if they use French oak barrels in the aging process? :)

Joe, that just adds a certain "Je ne sais quois" to the bourbon :-)

Regards, Rod.

[Harry Hagan]

I have heard that for a whiskey to legally be labeled Bourbon; it must be made in Kentucky. Apparently that’s not true.

However, according to this website: "By law Bourbon must be made in NEW American white oak barrels."

http://www.kentuckybarrels.com/KentuckyBourbon.html

[ray hampton]

Harry, bourbon do need to be made in Kentucky before it can be labeled Kentucky Bourbon unless the company owns the license
common whiskey or bourbon whiskey are made in the still and stored in the barrels to aged

[Larry Edgerton]

Bought some "Wild Ass" jeans today for the boys.

No really, thats what they are called. Baileys saw supply out of California has them made here in the USA, heavy built of 14 1/2 oz. fabric, that too made in the USA. Ordered a pair for myself to try.

Bought a Ax from Sweden, but technically it is for me and not a Christmas present, so I'm OK on that one.

Only 16 shopping days til Christmas.....

Larry

[Mac McQuinn]

If you're into Bourbon and Chocolate, you own it to yourself to visit Frankfort, Kentucky where there are shops that make and sell Bourbon Balls. These are addictive to say the least and U.S. made to boot.

Mac

[Brian Elfert]

I longer buy or accept Christmas gifts. It was either I was getting stuff I didn't need or want, or I was giving gift givers a very specific list of items to choose from to give me. I finally decided I would buy stuff I wanted/needed on my time schedule and dispense with exchanging gifts.

I don't have a significant other or any kids. It wouldn't work so well with an SO or kids.

[Jim Koepke]

The gifts for my family and friends this year are being made of wood that was grown in my back yard.

Almost all the tools being used were also made in America.

jtk

[Dave Lehnert]

http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821

[Mac McQuinn]

Dave,
Excellent link! Hopefully people who view this and watched the news show will give this some serious thought.
Mac



http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821

[Larry Edgerton]

I have dialup and an old computor, whats the link about? Going to have to break down and buy a computor soon.....

Went into a Toys are Us. Not the place to look for American products. Bought three banks for the nieces and granddaughter that are three foot tall Crayola crayons, made in Pennsylvania. That was all we could find.

Larry

[Dave Lehnert]

I have dialup and an old computor, whats the link about? Going to have to break down and buy a computor soon.....

Went into a Toys are Us. Not the place to look for American products. Bought three banks for the nieces and granddaughter that are three foot tall Crayola crayons, made in Pennsylvania. That was all we could find.

Larry

The link was the ABC news story about a home built with all USA made goods. Only cost 1% more to build. Basically a story how made in the USA good are available, you just need to take the time to look for them. They had an example of a "J" bolt. They were unable to find one made in the USA so they had them custom built at a machine shop vs buying overseas. Turns out a company in Georgia makes them, and makes them $0.11 cheaper than the overseas bolts. They say if homes built used 5% USA made goods. 220K jobs would be created.

[Belinda Barfield]

So, I went to World Market today because I have one friend who loves all things British. I did find some made in the USA items and I purchased those. I have to admit, though, that it was hard to resist some of the textiles made in India.

[Larry Edgerton]

Ahh, I read that story, or where they got it from in one of the trades.

My local lumber supplier, not a box store by the way, switched to generic gun nails for Paslodes instead of the USA made nails. They are like four bucks a box cheaper. I refused to buy them, and told them I was going to have to start looking around for another place to buy my supplies, and in fact I may just have to close my account here. They now stock both. Fasteners are almost all made in some foreign land these days unless you insist on quality.

Today I went to Sears, and surprisingly they have a fairly large selection of tools that are made in the USA. I bought my brothers in law stuff from their automotive tool section.

Tried to find reasonably priced cookware for my youngest daughter made here, but no luck so far. I haven't given up yet.

I did kind of break my rule today. I bought three $100 gift certificates from my favorite clothing store, and one that does business with me as well. I make all of their new store fixtures. They stock all of the classic good brands like Pendleton, Woolrich and so forth, and the store owner is just sick that there is almost no clothing made in the USA any more. The main bridge through town is out till spring and is really hurting their business, so I bent my resolution just a bit to help out a friend and customer. Besides, technically it will be my daughters buying the foreign cloths. See rationalized.........

If any of you guys need lessons in rationalization, especially as it applies to justifying the purchase of new tools, let me know. I am the king!

Larry

[Brian Elfert]

The link was the ABC news story about a home built with all USA made goods. Only cost 1% more to build. Basically a story how made in the USA good are available, you just need to take the time to look for them. They had an example of a "J" bolt. They were unable to find one made in the USA so they had them custom built at a machine shop vs buying overseas. Turns out a company in Georgia makes them, and makes them $0.11 cheaper than the overseas bolts. They say if homes built used 5% USA made goods. 220K jobs would be created.

Did the extra 1% on the cost of the home include the cost of the man hours spent searching for USA made products? Building materials still seem to be made in the USA for the most part until you get to the interior finishing materials which are harder to find in the USA from what I have found.

I'm surprised Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards aren't buying from that Georgia supplier if they are cheaper. They'll often switch suppliers for a penny or two cost difference. Menards is the worst. John Menard has never seen a dollar he hasn't kept a tight grip on. Menards will pay suppliers for goods to sell in the stores because they need to keep goods flowing, but they won't pay other bills. There are businesses that won't deal with Menards because they take so long to pay. I personally know a small businessman who refused a job for Menards because he knows it will be like pulling teeth to get paid. He also knows others in his trade who won't deal with them either. He said you almost have to plan on getting lawyer involved to get money from Menards.