Well here we are again — November 1st, and volunteers at the Thrift Shops for Nova are well into the work of displaying Christmas items for our customers. You’ve certainly started to see the evidence in our boutiques!
Last Monday, in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, we did a blitz to prepare, along with lights and decorations, our accumulation of Christmas wreaths and garlands — we must have prepared almost 50 of them! So, yes, if you need one for this year, now you have the best possible selection to choose from. Prices range, in general, from about $3.00 to $15.00.
But, don’t despair if “yours” is gone – I’m sure there will be even more come in. Soon.
You see, the thing about Christmas at our Thrift Shops is that it never seems to stop. We can never actually catch up! All year long the Christmas ornaments, and trees, and wreaths, and lights, and bobbles and bangles roll in. And just before and just after Christmas, they multiply many fold. Our sorting and storage areas are swamped to overflowing, making it difficult to actually work around the “Christmas stuff.”
Indeed, soon there will be “no room at the inn.”
So, since not too many customers buy Christmas items in February, we work more frantically than ever to get our goodies out for sale in November.
For your viewing pleasure, here are two images of some of last year’s collection waiting to be priced and displayed for sale.
Yes, indeed, this is today’s reality: the more we buy, the more we eventually discard.
As our volunteers daily witness these signs of our constant consumption, we can at times feel discouraged: this is such a waste of the earth’s resources. But from another perspective, we make the very best of the situation. As a non-profit organization, we are so very appreciative because we know that everyone truly benefits. Yes, when we receive your generous donations and pass them on to our customers at fair prices, we are keeping these items out of the land fill; we are giving you a place to both donate and shop; and to boot, we raise much needed funds for health-care in our community.
It is a win-win-win situation.
Thank you.
