A Year Without China

Last year while I was listening to NPR they were interviewing a woman who wrote the book 'A Year Without China'. The context of the book was that her family decided not to buy anything made in China for that year. They wanted to buy only USA made items, or items not made in China. The author said that it was very difficult to purchase USA made products. When her kids needed sneakers she went online and bought them from Italy, since all the big name brands here are made in China among other items that they had to research.

I must say that I was impressed with the interview so I decided to try it too. I was tired of all the things that I picked up in a store that were made in China. Help! Can't we make anything here in the USA! After several weeks I was very proud of myself that I bought nothing made in China. I hardly bought anything at all. But after a while it became increasingly frustrating for me to go into the Christmas Tree Shop or Dollar Tree Stores and find really good buys, really nice looking items that were made in China. Even buying Christmas and birthday gifts it was hard to get away from China. My family, friends and community knew that I was off China! When I received a gift I looked at the label or tag and it always said 'made in China'. Doesn't anyone listen? I was off China!

Towards the end of the summer my crusade for being off China began to wane. Mainly because I exhausted my energy going around to find things that weren't made in China. I was tired of surfing the Internet for things not made in China. I was beaten! I had better things to do.

After months of my crusade, I gave in to China. And now some of the most affordable things I have gotten lately are made in China. I noticed some of the lacework on the doilies are impeccable even if they are machine made. I bought a pair of Christmas socks at the Dollar Tree Store for a buck. Saw the same socks at Kmart for a little more.

I am no exception to the financial downturn and belt-tightening these days. I need to look out for my pocketbook and how I spend. Okay, I went almost a year without China but it reinforced in me something that I already knew. The people that make the products work extremely hard and for very long hours and for so very little money for USA manufacturers in China. Where is the justice in that?