Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 4, 1997, edition 1 / Page 13
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http://www.thepost.mindspring.com 1B Cljarlottc ^osft STYLE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1997 Trouble in Toyland Public Interest Research Group issues its list of dangerous toys in time for Christmas shopping season. See page 4B. All you would possibly want to know about Kwanzaa Habari garii? With Kwanzaa rapidly approaching, habari gani or what’s the news, will be one of the most frequently heard phrases. The Afro-American Cultural Center will host a Kwanzaa work shop to teach the significance of Kwanzaa, the nation’s only African American holiday Saturday. The workshop begins at 1 p.m. Registration is $10. Toys for Tots A Charlotte chiropractor is offer ing the gift of good health to those who give to the needy this holiday season. Dr. Larissa DiBella of Chiropractic Health and Accident Center of Charlotte is collecting toys for Toys for Tots at the Marine Corps Reserve Center. People who make donations are eligible for a free initial consulta tion, examination and up to two X-rays. Collection ends Dec. 20 and appointments will be scheduled Dec. 15-20. Tbys for Tbts provides toys for needy children during the holiday season. For more information call 391- 1000. Neuter Scooter for five PetsMart veterinary hospitals will neuter cats for a nickel next week. ; The week long program is part of the store’s “Neuter Scooter for a Nickel” campaign, which encour ages pet owners to be more con scious of the problem of unwanted pets. Hospitals are located in Mat thews and Pineville. For more information, call 847- 7001 or 542-8339. “Between Us” columnist Gwendolyn Grant to speak Psychologist Gwendoljoi Goldsby Grant wiU highlight the Women’s Commission open house Dec. 13. Grant is best known for her monthly Essence magazine col- urrm, “Between Us” in which she offers advice on male-female rela tionships and health. Grant is also the best-selling author of “The Best Kind of Loving,” a guide for women. Grant’s lecture begins at 2 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4th St. The event is free. No-stress holidays Finding the perfect Christmas gifts and financing them can be stressful for even the most orga nized shopper. 'The George Simmons YMCA will host a workshop on managing holiday stress. The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m. A second work shop wiU be held Monday at 6 p.m. The Simmons YMCA is located 6824 Democracy Dr. For more information, call 536-1714. Tbday • The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Center continues its month-long series for grandpar ents raising grandchildren at 7 p.m. at the Center, 2225 Tyvola Road. Free. Friday See AROUND CHARLOTTE 3B Joseph and Mamie Faulkner sort through a portion of the hun dreds of decorations that will grace their home near Rockwell Park. Joseph Faulkner began the tradition nine years ago as a gift to his wife. “I thought she would like,” he said. “I had no idea it would turn out like this.” Interested in going? The Faulkner home is iocated at 5725 Greene St. off West Sugar Creek Road. The house will be open Saturday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. The Holiday House is sponsored by The Chariotte Post and Wreath’s and More Designers. For more information call 598- 3526. Christmas spirit shines at open house By Jeri Young THE CHARLOTTE POST Mamie Faulkner Cuthbert- son’s excitement is catching. The minute you walk into her home off Sugar Creek Road, you can’t help but get excited when she talks about Christmas. The holiday just “does some thing to her,” she said. “Tm so excited, 1 can’t stand it,” Cuthbertson said, pointing out three small black angels gracing her dining room win dows. “I just can’t wait for the holidays.” Cuthbertson will open her home this weekend for tours. For $5, visitors will tour Cuthbertson’s home and pro vide much needed assistance for Stratford House, a home for poor women who have complet ed addiction recovery pro grams. The event is being co sponsored by The Post. ’The day after Thanksgiving, Cuthbertson begins transform ing her elegantly decorated home into a Christmas wonder land. What makes Cuthbertson’s transformation even more special is that the Santas, angels and wisemen that dominate her home each Christmas are aU black. “I think that’s real impor tant,” Cuthbertson said. “Children really need to see themselves in decorations and know that it is possible for black people to be anything and to have anything.” Bells jingle on doorknobs. Christmas trees dominate almost eveiy bedroom and hol iday greenery graces the tops of cabinets. Gold reindeer prance on the mantle and everywhere Christmas lights twinkle mer rily No room is left without “something Christmasy” Cuthbertson said. “Even the bathrooms will get floral arrangements and Christmas towels,” she says mischievously “We might even put a tree in one.” The tradition of decorating Cuthbertson’s Clanton Park home' began nine years ago wheni her husband, Joseph,' hired Diaime Boyd decorate as a gift. Cudibertsofi'satd she almost passed out when she saw it for the first time. “I almost went to my knees,” she said. “I always had a love for Christmas. Tb walk in and see all those beautiful decora tions - I didn’t know what to say. Every year it has gotten bigger and bigger. Once you have something of this magni tude, you really can’t do any thing else.” Bigger is right. At first, Cuthbertson and Boyd began with traditional decorations. After nine years of practice, the duo have become really cre ative. Bottle covers featuring black Santas are used as wreath accents and rag doUs hang on a small Christmas tree in Cuthbertson’s granddaugh- See CHRISTMAS page 3B Holiday hangover caused by overuse of credit THE ASSOCIATED PRESS GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Millions of American shoppers will ring in the holiday shopping season with their credit cards, continuing an expensive American tradition, known as “holiday credit hang over.” 'Two-thirds of consumers don’t make spending plans for the upcoming hoUdays according to a banking industry telephone sur vey. “Those who don’t have budgets may spend more and will take loiiger than anticipated to pay off their holiday bills,” said James Chessen, the group’s chief econo mist. “If you want to avoid finan cial frostbite in January when the bdls arrive, develop a spending plan and stick to it.” For record numbers of Americans, season after season of unchecked spending is resulting in bankruptcy. Only 35 percent of American credit card holders pay off then- balances in full each month, according to the American Bemkers Association. A record 1.3 million Americans filed for bank ruptcy during the 12-months that ended June 30, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. “Credit card issuers have found that they can take greater risk, they can charge higher interest and people will pay it,” said Professor Winton Williams, author of “Games Creditors Play; Collecting from Overextended Consumers.” 'The consequences of declaring bankruptcy can be severe, includ ing significant restrictions on credit availability and prohibi tively high interest rates, said Jeffrey Davis, a bankruptcy law professor at the UF, College of Law. f ‘ Davis notes that many people tend to overlook how much inter est they pay on credit card pur chases. A $3,000 credit card debt with an annual interest rate of 16.9 percent means the card hold er is paying $507 a year for inter est alone. An American Bankers Association survey of holiday shoppers last year showed that three-quarters of consumers planned to charge $400 or less during the hoUday season, but in reahty ended up charging $600, The obvious advice is not to get in over your head, Davis says. But, he added, “That’s hard advice to take this time of year when the kids are all seeing what everybody else is getting for Christmas.” A free brochure is available by writing to: Holiday Debt, American Bankers Association, 1120 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
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