Tchotchke, pronounced chach-ke. It’s an appropriate time of year to contemplate the economic impact of the gifts we buy for the person who needs nothing. One of my favorite blogs – DemoMemo invented a Tchotchke Index. I love this blog, because, as we all know – Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure! You won’t believe the studies that have been done and conclusions drawn from them. Check it out- DemoMemo. First -consider what defines a tchotchke. Some say a decorative item for the home. Some say cheap and tacky items displayed in the home. Bauble, bric-a-brac, curio, trinket, knickknack. No matter what you call them, we all have them, we’ve all received them, we’ve all given them. But did you ever imagine that the economic health of our country could be gauged by how much we spend annually on tchotchkes? Self-storage facilities might also be an indicator of our love of trinkets. The assumption is that when we feel economically solid, we spend more on fluff decor. DemoMemo claims that the index peaked in 2000 and fell to it’s low in 2003. The good news is that 2014 spending on useless bric-a-brac shows cautious optimism. We’re up from 2013, but less than 2012. So, if you’re feeling comfortable in the wallet – purchase a purely non-essential bauble and feel at peace with the universe.
Posts
Month: December 2015
Tchotchke, pronounced chach-ke. It’s an appropriate time of year to contemplate the economic impact of the gifts we buy for the person who needs nothing. One of my favorite blogs – DemoMemo invented a Tchotchke Index. I love this blog, because, as we all know – Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure! You won’t believe the studies that have been done and conclusions drawn from them. Check it out- DemoMemo. First -consider what defines a tchotchke. Some say a decorative item for the home. Some say cheap and tacky items displayed in the home. Bauble, bric-a-brac, curio, trinket, knickknack. No matter what you call them, we all have them, we’ve all received them, we’ve all given them. But did you ever imagine that the economic health of our country could be gauged by how much we spend annually on tchotchkes? Self-storage facilities might also be an indicator of our love of trinkets. The assumption is that when we feel economically solid, we spend more on fluff decor. DemoMemo claims that the index peaked in 2000 and fell to it’s low in 2003. The good news is that 2014 spending on useless bric-a-brac shows cautious optimism. We’re up from 2013, but less than 2012. So, if you’re feeling comfortable in the wallet – purchase a purely non-essential bauble and feel at peace with the universe.
Recent Comments