Glass half full/empty...SA

I have been reading all the inspirational things that have been going around from the likes of iburst etc regarding our beautiful country. I agree with most of them but I noticed that I seem to cling to the words ‘we have been here before’. In reality though, I don’t think we have. At the risk of being labeled a pessimist [more like a realist] I think we have finally crossed over into another place as a country, a place not many of us know or understand. We have gone off track and need some drastic help to come back to a new version of normality.

Lets review our country ‘killers’ at the moment:

-Lack of credible Leadership
-Violent Crime
-Corruption / Greed
-Poverty
-Non-Delivery by Government
-HIV
-High Illiteracy & Low level of Education
-Infrastructure decay
-Uncontrolled entry of Foreigners

Now I would feel optimistic about being able to sort these out if we had some sort of future plan, a strong leader and a credible and effective government channel and legal system. Our people also need to start understanding that for every negative action there is a negative consequence [that is why laws are created].

It is sad for me to sit in discussions when youngsters are discussing the possibility of leaving the country because they don’t see a future. At this point how many people have actually left is pure speculation and no-one in government seems to think this is a big problem. So many families being split out of fear.

All this at a time when we need all hands on deck…I am beginning to feel like I have no voice and the constant state of lawless [a growing number of incidents now involving police] is wearing me down. Too many terrible stories…. its becoming difficult to remain confidently focused on how beautiful our country is....the lack of balance at the moment is awful.

So here’s the thing…I will continue to post my views on these topics as they are close to my heart and if my words contribute even 0.001% to the pressure required for change then its worth it.
We need to stand together sure...but first.....we need to be led.

The Pain of Parenting

Being a parent is something that really amazes me everyday. My daughter is growing [thank heavens!] and each day brings a new set of new questions and interesting situations to deal with.

A friend of mine recently had the awful experience of facing the fact that her grandson has a malignant life threatening brain tumor. He is 7, the same age as my daughter. A religious friend of mine made the comment that ‘we all have a path’. As an adult I understand that philosophy but as a parent I don’t. It may just be that I do not have as much faith? The pain of watching my child in pain and being helpless is something I am not sure I could bear as a human being.

Having to face the hard choices when you have a sick child and knowing that either choice involves suffering or even the potential of death. How does a parent explain that to a child, someone you are supposed to protect?

A child’s sickness or death is something no parent should ever have to endure, yet every day 100’s of children and parents live through that suffering and pain.
As someone sitting on the outside watching the drama and pain unfold, I am reminded of the value of my life and that of my daughter and family. I cannot help feeling guilty that I have options and other families are so focused on living that few options exist other than surviving as people and a family unit.

This post is a tribute to those that have had to endure this kind of suffering, I do not profess to understand what you are feeling, but I can vaguely feel your pain as a parent when I look at my daughters laughing face.

May this be a reminder to those of us that are more fortunate to never take life and people for granted. Live life, Love lots.

COLLECTIONS OF THINGS TO LOVE IN SA

I have to admit I seem to have become a bit of a political analyst! One subject I love besides family and business is politics! So I have re-read [is there such a word?] a few of my recent posts and I thought it would be cool to make a list of what I love about my country. So here goes:

CANDICE & friends COLLECTION OF SA LOVES… [in no order]

The PEOPLE [nowhere in the world have I met people like the S Africans].
The WEATHER [including the late afternoon summer storms]
The FOOD [BRAAIS, BILTONG, WILSONS TOFFEE’S & CHAPPIES]
The SMILES
Our FLAG
Our vast PRECIOUS METALS
The WINE & BEER
Our HUMOUR
The VUVUZELA
Our OPTIMISM [ok, ok, maybe not at the moment but generally]
Our CULTURES and COLOURS [Ndebele colours and patterns]
Our TRADITIONAL DANCE
Our EDUCATION
The fact that we have 11 different LANGUAGES [ok official ones]
The fact you can buy almost anything whilst sitting at a robot
The OPEN SPACES
The ANIMALS
The OCEAN
Our MUSIC
Our SERVICE [not great but fab compared to many places overseas]
The current RUGBY WORLD CHAMPIONS [ama bokka bokka]
The ARTS and CRAFTS
The FLORA and FAUNA
TABLE MOUNTAIN
JOZI Sky line
HUMAN RIGHTS & FREEDOM DAY
Many PUBLIC HOLLIES
The best BEACHES

Last but not least ……WE HAVE MADIBA!

FEEL FREE TO ADD TO THE LIST!!

Living in the NEW NEW SA

I admit I have been scarce...lackluster is the word I would use to describe my mood. I am ashamed to say that I have been caught up in the constant bad news that seems to have become South Africa [over the past few months] - it seems to be everywhere you turn.
I am not going to reiterate what you all already know, but have finally realized that my mood was not going to help things. So I am back, albeit in pause mode for a while, waiting to see if any leadership emerges for the institution we call government.

Revolutions can be started by a handful of people [we have a history of that in this country] but there is something in the South African psyche [not only white South Africans] that tends to jump instantly to running away [to another country]. This at a time when we all need to stay and make a difference – the crime is a large factor in those decisions and I understand that fear [especially as a mother]. With the latest highlight of infrastructure decay a few just do not see hope, but rather decline.

A new thing has entered my mind this year with the emergence of Zuma and his 100% Zulu boy T-Shirt. [Something like that from a ‘leader’ encourages polarization not tolerance]. The question for me arose…where does this leave the white South African voice? An example of this is a sudden defensiveness I have picked up with any comments lodged by whites regarding Governmental inefficiencies. Are we racist, and the same comments made by a black person are realist? I am a little over that view. The government is simply not delivering and they need to bring the country back on track in a hurry, to deliver on the very basic fundamentals of our constitution.

I had begun to allow myself [my own fault] to think that as a white South African I had begun to lose my voice… [shock horror I know]. Then, I remembered choice and democracy and *‘that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our Diversity’.. I am African. I do not have or want a ‘get out of jail free card’ [in the form of a foreign passport]. This is my country, and I am white. We as a people talk of integration and tolerance and in the end we are all in this together. We ALL need to do what we can to fix the country and avoid the issues that face Kenya. The fundamental starting point however is to be heard as a united voice as the people of this country, all singing the same tune.
God forbid that I ever have to leave the land of my birth. I dread the day that I would have to consider that [which I would do if the risk for my family got to great].

So a prediction…this year and possibly the next 5 to follow will be a watershed for SA. People will come and go and we are in for a bumpy road, but we must do our best to work together and *‘Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights; Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and build a united and democratic South Africa’.

PEACE to the PEOPLE!

*Quoted from the South African Constitution

TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT 'EISH'COM

I will keep this one short...with the weird weather, constant darkness [thanks to Eskom] and uncertain leadership prospect for the country, does anyone else feel like we have been living in a big toilet [for the last 2 weeks] with Eskom peeing on our head.....? Sounds a bit drab sure... but things are turning. Today it is sunny [like it should be in Gauteng this time of year], and for the first time in 2 weeks my small business had no power interruptions. Now all we need to do is work on the leadership part....

Call off Christmas...?

Has Christmas lost its message? My mother-in-law went on today about how kak Christmas is, because it's lost it's value. I agree that it's so easy to fall into the trap of rushing and thinking only of what gifts to purchase or what we will get..

My thoughts of this time of year are generally about giving and family...BUT I don't deny that the gift issue is alot more pressurising with all the Marketing in your face and a 6 yr old hanging on your leg.

So a question, 'What Christmas plans do you have to teach your children about giving this year?
Have they cleared out their cupboards [not just removing the broken toys], visited an orphanage or spent time with someone that is lonely? Surely at least one of these should be part of a child's memories of Christmas? I thank my mother for making these part of my memory bank. The materialist child knows nothing more than 'what's coming for me', this makes Christmas temporarily exciting sure, but this needs to be balanced with the understanding of giving to form a deeper connection with this time of year.

We all want the world to be a better place and as parents we can assist with making that happen. We need to take any opportunity we get [should really be constant] to teach giving otherwise all we are breeding are a group of uncaring takes..and we are doomed... in that case I say call off Christmas.. whats the point?....
[I understand the religious context for this time of year, but this needs to be brought to life so that children can understand and experience meaning]

Time Casuality...

It would be interesting to throw this one ‘out there’ and see what the response is….

I think its really difficult to maintain friendships in this day and age…..I mean real friendships…not the shallow surface kind... The time problem has not just been noticed by me …..everyone seems to be just as busy…. Pressured.

For me, the reality is with what little spare time I have nowadays, I would rather spend it with my family, as I don’t see them as often as I would like. I am also a little bit of a recluse outside my normal working day, I like quiet reflection time whenever I can get it [which is not often, as the silence is often shattered with the word ‘mommy’]. Don't get me wrong, it’s not that my friends are not important, because they certainly are, it’s just that fitting it all in is a problem….

At one point actually, I thought the problem was 100% me. I have NO doubt that I am a contributing factor, but it seems to be that way for almost everyone I know. One of the reasons I like Facebook is the speed you can check up on your friends etc, but the downside is the lack of direct human interaction.

In my head I keep hearing the word balance…and in the end that is what I am aiming for, but I feel like I am at constant war with myself! On the friend front I feel bad all the time that I don’t see my friends as often as I would like [driving distances at night in JHB on my own is not my thing], but then again… they have time issues 2. So what is the solution?

My mother would tell me to ‘make time’ and say things like ‘if they are really true friends they will understand’, that may be the case, but in the end every situation is relative I suppose. The world is sadly becoming a more insular place, as people pull back from the ‘noise.’ We shouldn’t forget that we are all social beings and that we need friends… that's what makes us different. [Note to self: Candice… are you listening!?]

I need the blog...

When I first started blogging people kept saying 'How do you find the time?'.
What is fascinating is that I have become so used to it, its just not an issue. Nowadays I contribute to my company blog as well. Its fun and has become part of my daily [ok..nightly] routine. I'm not bored, sad or lonely [which tends to be the first thought in people's minds about bloggers]! Its a cool hobby..

Manto loses Face[book]

I was totally flabbagasted to see that there are 3 profiles built for our Minister of Health in Facebook. They are certainly worth the read. Especially since they catch you off guard and at first I thought the government was just being really pro-active in the PR arena..[until I saw the other 2 profiles].
What is scary is how quickly you can lose face [in this case on Facebook] nowadays and how the technological world is aiding this. It really brings freedom of speech to A WHOLE NEW LEVEL! I wonder if Manto has seen her profiles?? Visit the link to check it out... if you are not on Facebook yet.... SERVES YOU RIGHT for not being proactive!

The Lion King lesson

We were fortunate enough to see the Lion King [at Monte Casino] this week. WOW! I was totally blown away. I have never really seen anything like that and I have seen a few theatre productions. It would be great if every South African was fortunate enough to see it.

We took our daughter (who is under 10) and she was very well behaved. She sat as quite as a mouse, captivated. Sadly the experience had a kak lesson and confirmed my assumptions about how truly bad some parents are.

Let me first say that, I believe, in this uncaring, dangerous world there are 2 very important things you now need to teach your children [along with everything else] caring for others and giving. This counteracts the external messages of ‘its all about me’ and ‘take, take, take’ that are surreptitiously lurking in every corner, especially in advertising and the celebrity 'role models' that kids grow up with today.

During the show, there were children that were talking loud, jumping on their seats, and in some cases standing and knocking the seats in front of them. At R375 per ticket that is a little more than annoying! Take a guess what all three sets of parents were doing…. Nothing. Not even once did I see one of the parents turn their head to reprimand their children. They have become so good at ignoring and ‘switching off’ that they do it with ease in these situations, this whilst the rest of us are left to be irritated by their children. Manners seem to be the last thing they are taught.
I ended up actually telling a little girl behind me to keep quite, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, but she was virtually shouting at her grandmother whilst her mother sat idly by enjoying the show.

What is happening in this world?… what are people breeding? It is pretty scary to watch and I must say this kind of thing does bother me, especially since I am teaching my daughter to be caring and giving. I just hope this ‘lot’ don’t end up hurting her! I hope I am not the one that has got this all wrong and in fact I should be teaching my child to 'protect herself from the world'!
In reality, there is simply no way I would be able to teach [even if subconsciously] my daughter this kind of 'new age' behaviour…..I think someone should start a 'children with manners club' to remind parents of what they were taught as children…..! I am sure there are kids out there that are caring, giving and have manners, but by the looks of things, they almost extinct!

Behold the Corporate Sloth!

I have wanted to write this for ages but never got around to it. Now running my own business, I am painfully aware of this ‘animal’s’ existence within the corporate environment. It’s the corporate sloth.
If you review the Wikipedia definition of a sloth you will see that ‘they move only when necessary and very slowly. They can move at a marginally higher speed if they are in immediate danger from a predator’… [or boss]. ‘Sloths are among the most somnolent animals, sleeping from 15 to 18 hours each day’…..

Yip a perfect description for these people. They are the type that lie dormant hoping they are not noticed. Their aim seems to simply be to collect a salary at the end of the month and they try their best to remain as anonymous as possible… a kind of shadow. They 'thrive' within the massive corporate layers of bureaucracy. No-one notices them until they have to deal with them that is! It will then take so long to get them out of the system that people sometimes work around them.. They feel no guilt! Who are these people, how do they sleep at night?

Think hard…..I can guarantee you will quickly identify someone in your company that appears to fit the slothlike profile! [That’s if you work in a corporate – small companies are less likely to carry them]…I just hope that I don’t bump into to many of these on my travels…they are not my favourite!

Shuttleworth's a cool geek..

Ok… I know I have been scarce on the blogging front!!! Sorry.. had a really busy 2 weeks…..
I was fortunate enough to meet Mark Shuttleworth recently. I have to say I was impressed. Not sure what I expected [from a famous oke], but in reality he seems to be a friendly normal dude who is more interested in you than talking about himself! He was keen to share what he had learnt in life and I thought I would share some of what he chatted about. He recons that curiosity and perseverance are 2 traits he has seen in successful people he has met worldwide. He mentioned that from space the earth looks very populated and the atmosphere very fragile. [SO BLOODY LOOK AFTER IT..!] He still professes to be a ‘geek’… lets be honest geeks are cool nowdays! His favourite magazines are The Economist and some other science mag I have never heard of…….
He wants to make heros out of talented SA kids by inspiring them and showing them the importance of maths, sciences and technology using his brand HIP2B2 …..

So in a nutshell this is one cool ‘geek’ and the best thing is he is South African!!!

A modern day Da Vinci?

There is an architect/sculptor/designer [not sure what to classify him as] in the UK called Thomas Heatherwick. It is not often that I am blown away by talent but I cannot believe that this guy has such a diverse range of talents in the design fields. I would go so far as to say he reminds me a little of a modern day Leonardo! [OK…OK he is very talented across multi-disciplines similar to Mr Da Vinci]. Icon wrote a great article about him and I have a feeling that he will end up being a legend in the design arena. There is simply something about him, he just seems so normal. For all those interested in design… watch this space this guy is making waves.

Groovy FREE speech mon...

There is an interesting book out called 'The Cult of the Amateur' written by a guy called Andrew Keen. Love him or hate him he has thrown oil on a debate that has been raging for a while. It’s the [snore…snore] same old discussion about the internet and all its ‘woes’ and I just HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING!

As I am a Libran I tend to constantly try balance things. This book [its worth reading the comments on the book link.. some are hilarious!] is his opinion [which needs to be respected] and some of what he says is valid HOWEVER no matter how much people go on about the net and social media it aint going to go away. No matter how many books anyone writes, the whole ‘democratised media’ thing has hit a nerve with more than a few people and nobody can argue that.

In a way I see shades of what the ‘hippy movement’ did in the late 60’s early 70’s to change the social fabric worldwide. Some good, some bad but the world has never been the same since. Different time, similar debate?
I am grateful that things like blogging have given consumers a voice to challenge service delivery in the business world. I am not fond of using any medium to hurt others [I don’t think most people really have that intention- maybe its that old story of a few ruining it for the rest]. I like free speech… my view is if you don’t like it don’t read/watch it. Companies that are using blogs for ‘spin doctoring’ purposes, as Andrew mentions, will soon be caught out and the damage could be enormous. I think that real bloggers hold integrity and authenticity above all else and would not sell their souls… [yip I am a little bit of an idealist]

This is an out there question but is the web not really a reflection of life, in all its glory and ugliness? You tend to find what you want to see…

We live in a fast paced, ever changing world. The Internet is probably assisting with entrenching a degree of anti social behavior but we need to be aware of that and try work our way around things by using it as a tool for connecting differently. I love the freedom of my ‘little space’ [no pun intended] and I would hate to have to 'conform' BUT a few rules may not be a bad thing? Just not sure in reality how they will be enforced [yuk word…].
Interesting topic… not sure if I would buy the book… I would borrow it though! Anyone brought it yet???

Happy Birthday Madiba!!!!

Tomorrow Madiba turns 89. Here is a man that is often a positive personal reference point in my mind. In fact the very thought of him makes me emotional. I once (back when he was president) had the privilege of meeting this giant of a man. I even got to shake his hand (I didn’t want to wash my hand after that!) I will never forget that, but being younger I don’t think I fully understood how special that moment actually was. In fact if I had to choose one person that I wanted to have a ‘coffee chat' with it would be Madiba. Understanding this great man a little better, I am sure would teach me some life lessons. We can all learn from him and I am unashamedly a fan! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADIBA! May we be graced with your magnificent brain and heart for years to come!

Can you change the world?

Heres a question...
Can one person really change the world? I mean, sure it seems obvious that people like Gandhi, Bill Gates, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu and of course Madiba have clearly been leaders in the social/business/political sense and they have influenced and aided change. But did they really do it all alone? Didn't they have support teams? I know that sounds odd!
I have often been told by people that I can't change the world. My thought process around that has always been...'that may be your opinion but I would rather die trying'. Lately however, I have really started to wonder whether I actually can... is this really a one [wo]man job? Is it simply about leadership, taking risks, blind passion/ focus or being able to give selflessly without expectation OR is it more about providing the right 'thing' at the right time and place? What is the common denominator amongst 'world changers' in political, social and business environments? I would love to hear your views on this.... I just know that I would feel very unhappy if i stopped believing that somewhere, somehow, I could change the world even if it was one tiny step at a time....

What you think you become..

A friend asked me today how I manage to ALWAYS stay so positive. I was blown away, because I think I have been doing a really lousy job at being positive over the last few weeks! I have been particularly frustrated and I know I have been letting it show.
So once again…that comment got me thinking…maybe I put too much pressure on myself to be constantly positive. Isn’t that, in reality, a little unrealistic?? I get frustrated when I can’t control my negative thoughts, but we all have them. As humans we dip in and out of positive and negative thoughts all the time. Some of us tend to display dominance in either one or the other, but that may be inherent, or part of who we have allowed ourselves to become. Positive thinking has been well documented and does seem to improve life holistically, you can also apparently train yourself to reprogramme your brain.

There is a theory that explains negativity’s origin in humans as a survival instinct [driven by the primal base of the brain]. When the first humans wandered the earth, the survival part kicked in when they had to recognize, in an instant, the danger they faced when dealing with certain prehistoric animals. They had to know when to run and being all warm, positive and fuzzy about the encounter would end in them being eaten!

In the end it goes back to balance and how we need to be conscious of finding it!

Mahatma Gandhi sums it up for me, “A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”

Generation Why?

Ok. I am back on the issue of moral ethics, this time the spotlight is on what 'they' are calling Generation Y – or rather Gen Y.
The Fortune 500 magazine recently published an article that really hit home for me. Its worth a read.

Owning a small business I have noticed its becoming increasing difficult to find young people with any kind moral ethic, commitment, basic manners or loyalty. BUT what is more frightening for me is total lack of passion and direction that most exude even in a job interview [this last point seems to contradict the Fortune article on the ambitious Gen-Y’ers]. They certainly don’t seem to be trying to impress, its almost as if they are expecting you to impress them! [I am basing this off over 100 interviews with early 20-somethings over the last 9 months]. I am now convinced that this behaviour is a result of a few things but mostly I think it’s a result of: indulgence, guilt & lack of quality mentorship/time.

More cash flush parents [more so than the industrial age lets say] indulging their children over the past decade [or more] because they feel guilty about the time they are able to spend with them in this fast paced world. Many families now also have different structures, they are made up of all sorts of different layers, all coming with their own issues and morals. This new age family often has split parenting complications that fuel the guilt that parents feel when dealing with their children. Sadly, this is only part of the problem, schools are not able to discipline as they did in the 'old days' incase the children’s rights are ‘infringed’. Advertisers greedily see children as a hugely important target for their products, further feeding the indulgence [or 'me'] epidemic.

Don’t believe me…. do a test, ask any teenager or 20-something where they want to be in 5 years and see what the answer is. Very few have even thought about today never mind tomorrow! Sure the business landscape is changing very quickly, and it is difficult to keep up, but what happened to 'following a passion'?? Technology has been an channel that has aided these ‘All about ME’ kids enabling a secret community that excludes parents & mentors…. fueling the growth of the communication canyon [or disconnect] between generations.

Understanding & providing opportunities to this generation is important, of course, but it should not be a one sided affair. I realize that I am generalizing here [always dangerous] but I am trying to illustrate a very strong trend that needs some discussion.

I am personally not sure how to deal with people that are not passionate about anything [is this because they have mostly never felt what it is like to really want anything ?] AND I believe that you have to be taught to care and give to others. So where do you begin, how do you reason with this lot? Just to complicate this further, being a parent of a small child, I am conscious not to fall into the same give, give, give parenting trap BUT that is not as easy as it sounds with such massive external pressures [peer pressure being a main one]. Teaching manners, empathy and caring is key BUT will that be enough…? Maybe for my child [she is still young and impressionable] but what happens to the Generations Y’ers floating out there in their-own-space???

UPDATE: Since writing this I stumbled across this article BizComArticle

Totally toothless !

Lets talk teeth…. Yip I said teeth.
I have just had an amazingly frustrating experience and it would be interesting to see if any of you have had a similar one, because if you have we are in trouble! I really get nervous when there is a service issue like this, that feeling of helplessness is not very comfortable.

I have no dentist. Long story… but she went on sabbatical (who blames her looking at peoples mouths all day ...can’t be cool).
Last week I developed an ache in my tooth that got worse and worse. Eventually, by Friday I was desperate, phoning around to find a dentist that would take me in! Found one and she referred me to a specialist (Surprise! Surprise!). I had a ‘REALLY BIG abscess’ in the bone cavity from someone that didn’t do a root canal properly! I cannot put words to the agony! (They would be X rated if I did!)

I was given antibiotics and pain killers and 2 referrals to specialists. When I called these specialists the first date I could get was end May and June!! I started to panic! I eventually went to my family doc on Sunday for a pain injection and he said he would do his best to help me on Monday. Which he did, he managed to ‘get me in’ somewhere this coming Friday….! So now I just have to wade through one week and not a whole month in total agony! I still think that is bad!

I cannot believe the whole experience not to mention how uncaring and rude the people were at the specialist rooms, they really didn’t care. You may be busy but you don’t have to be rude!! I even thought of ‘checking in’ to hospital just to get someone to help!! How ridiculous! Do we have that much of a skills shortage?? In the process (ironically) I met a cool dentist that has her Masters in Dentistry but is going to London to specialise as some health board (presume its government) only took 3 people into their specialist programme? Apparently a political thing…. I know she doesn’t want to leave, she had to go to further her career!! So much for being a country of opportunity! The last thing we need is to lose more skill because of some strange bureaucratic process! So blogging this story hasn’t really helped the pain go away, it is however a BIG WARNING…whatever you do…. Don’t lose your teeth!!!

Easter Bunny wins!

Its Easter [just incase you didnt know] and I started thinking whilst chomping the ears off a Lindt chocolate bunny....[simply to die for by the way] where the hell did the Easter Bunny come from? Not sure if any of you knew, but I was a little disappointed to find after doing some research... that the story is somewhat boring!

"The legend of the Easter Bunny is far from a modern invention. Long ago, the rabbit was the earthly symbol of the pagan goddess Eastre, and was worshipped in the pagan festival of Eastre. Germans brought the legend of the Easter rabbit to America, though Easter itself wasn't widely celebrated in America until after the Civil War. The hare has long been a symbol of fertility and renewal of life -- which fit in with the Christian tradition of Easter and the tradition of Easter eggs." [snore...snore]

So what can we learn from this?
We can blame the yanks for making the bunny an Easter icon - and chocolate nogal!
So much great marketing has been done on the bunny that I am sure that most kids [and adults] don't even think of the Christian element. Pretty sad really, that at a time when children should be learning the importance of giving, they seem more interested in getting! Welcome to the new world.