2005 Retrospective Giving Analysis

Eeuters 2005 Christmas Assessment:

2005 issued in a new era of yuletide decadence on River Springs Court. Despite rising gas prices, unrest in the middle east, and the lowest approval ratings in the history of the Bush administration; 2005 inter-Ewing donations were at a near-record high. Of particular note were oblong boxes containing the .17HMR pistol and the 50mm Leupold Vari-XIII scope. Stocking stuffers also saw marked improvement over prior years with a CD of classic Muppet songs and my very own Fisher NASA space pen included in the booty. And yes, it DOES write upside-down. Overall family gifts were excessively expensive, well-planned, and tended to have multiple moving parts. High marks for quality of gift and excitement level. As a special note for this year; Ewings great and small noted that the usual post-Christmas greed-induced coma lasted several hours longer in 2005. There were no injuries under the tree in 2005 - continuing our 5-yr streak of safe-unwrapping. Keep up the good work.

Given current economic indices I have opted not to include an assessment of gifts as a percentage of family income in the current year. In a period of high (or increasing) interest rates this would be an important factor. However, given the current low rates and Mr. Ewing (Sr.)'s excellent credit rating, his ability to borrow will more than compensate for any deficiency in income - hence rendering this indicator useless until economic conditions indicate otherwise.