• Be nice
• Write more on your blog
• Buy a leather jacket (real leather, on sale)
• Come up with a plan for world-peace
• Go out more
• Buy THE bag (real leather, no flashy colors, on sale)
• Read a classic
• Avoid overdraft
• Cut down dairy products
• Eat more fruit

Issues wishes everybody an inspiring year.
And then some health, joy and peace, we need those too.

Happy new year!

The common wild Glitter lives in cold weather and high obscurity. It is normally spotted during winter time in Europe, North America and parts of Asia. It feeds on human window-shoppers of feminine gender. The common Glitter’s annual active season is a very short one-  comes January, it retires to its hibernation and isn’t expected to show any sign of life until 10-11 months later.

Even though we have no scientific proofs to the theory, many experts believe the Common Glitter is genetically related to the Sailor-Striped-Shirt for many resemblances in the two species behavior. The Sailor-Shirt appears in spring mostly in Europe, and is only active for a short period as well (April-June).

During rough times, some believed the common Glitter and the Sailor-Shirt to be extinct. Fortunately, they’ve proven to be strong of nature, surprising wildlife experts every year anew.

Back in October, Mr Issues and I had made a deal. In an attempt not to fall in any commercial traps and respect our budget, we’ve decided that this year for Christmas we’ll offer each other books. It’s mind opening, it’s cute and it’s not expensive! Plus, we don’t really NEED anything in particular to be happy… Right? Right.

Only back in October we didn’t take into consideration the December gold-rush. That well-oiled machine that we, poor consumers, don’t stand a chance in front of. The pressure is just to great to bear.

Coming November-December, special edition “gifts magazines” are hidden in every newspaper you buy. Huge billboards attack your eyes and noumerous emails from brands and departement stores offer you better life after a visit to their cash registers. Wheather you can afford it or not, a certain itch starts bugging you. An itch only a new black glitter-dress for Christmas eve  can calm down…

Luckily, Paris’s biggest department stores (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, Le Bon Marché and BHV) are here to help you get rid of your irritation. This year, the holiday windows were already in place on November 4th, drawing thousands of parents and children every day to see the marionettes and the beautiful lights. Between November 10th and December 23rd those stores double the number of daily visitors and realize 25% of their annual profits. In the last two Week-ends of the year 200,000 people pass in Galeries Lafayette each day (of course, to facilitate our shopping, stores are open on Sundays in December).

Proving your love to your friends and family is an assencial part of the christmass spirit (and the more you love – the more you should pay). According to the AFP, even in difficult times of unstable economics, the average French is expected to spend 605 Euros on gifts and dinner this Christmas. 605 (Euros) X 65,447,374 (number of french aproximetly) = 39,595,661,270 €

Wow.

You know what?

Maybe a book isn’t such a good idea. After all, it’s Christmas… A new pair of Levi’s jeans, for example, will better demonstrate how much I care, non?  Or an IPad! Or both!