The following is a success story that can ONLY be possible in a "Capitalistic" country like the good ol' USofA;

Back in the "dark ages"....at my annual backyard "Turkey BarBQue" on Thanksgiving Day, in Northbrook, Ill...my buddies and I were "sitting around, after eating, sucking on some Budweisers"...while our wifees were "takin' care of our kids"...when the topic came up about "Nicky C" (one of the members of our group who had just lost his job)

WHAT was Nicky going to do to "make some money to...feed his family of wifee and 3 kids and keep his house...let alone, get thru Christmas?"

Nick's experience was limited to "construction labor". We tossed out a number of possiblities where he could possibly "hire on"...then...the conversation turned around to...how he could make some money to "keep him going", at least thru Christmas.

One guy brought up the idea of "Decorating Homes for Christmas".

So....since it was 4 weeks to Christmas....we all, then, got on the topic of "Christmas Decorating" and...since we were living in the affluent "North Shore of Chicago'...we thought that MANY "affluent home owners" would;
1) LIKE to have their homes decorated
2) could AFFORD to pay to have their home decorated

So...we proceeded to put together a plan....on how WE would help Nick start his own "Christmas Decorating" business....on a Shoestring.

We all tossed in some bux and pooled our resources. I offered to set up a bank account AND...design a Flyer we could deliver, door-to-door....in the affluent areas...offering "Nicky's House Decorating" service.

Well...this was on a Thursday and on Sunday afternoon I called my other buddies (and Nicky) and told them 5,000 Flyers would be printed and ready the next Weds afternoon...and we should meet at my house for distribution.

So...6 of us went out (with some of our kids as helpers) and went door-to-door on Thurs and Fri...delivering our flyers...offering lights to be installed on their homes for "X$" (I'm sorry. It's been too many years for me to remember what "X" was)

Well...when we got back from delivery the first night, there were 8 or 10 calls.

The next night there were more....and on Sat & Sun....there were a "bunch" of people wanting to have Nicky install lights on their homes.

After calling these folks and telling them our fees...almost ALL agreed to pay us....AFTER the installation....AFTER they were "satisfied" (which is the way I had my "helpers" pitch the deal)

We were flabbergasted. WHAT were "we" going to do? We had NO equipment, NO Insurance (in case someone falls off a roof)...NO lights.

Well...I made few calls to the local Dept Stores and discovered (I don't think THIS Dept Store chain is still going...it was called, E.J. Korvette...which stood for "Eight Jewish Korean Veterans)....they had an abundance of strings of outside lights they'd sell us for "x")

So....we pooled our bux...bought a bunch of lights and proceeded to get the jobs and install the lights....all in the evenings and on weekends, after we had finished our "regular work days".

Well....we discovered 2 things that first Christmas;
1) Homeowners WANT their homes decorated
2) They can AFFORD to "pay" to have it done

Now...this writing is about 35 yrs later and....Nick built his "Outdoor Decorating" biz into a MULTI million dollar enterprise...decorating SHOPPING MALLS in Chgo, Indiana and Wisconsin with MANY CREWS...and not just Christmas decorating but ALL types of Outdoor Decorating during the year.

And...around ChristmasTime....whenever I hear about some company or plant or business "shutting down before Christmas and laying off workers"...it reminds me of the guys we hired for the "Christmas Decorating"... and the "service" Nicky did by...."saving" MANY families in those days...so they'd have a "breather" period in which to "get thru the Holidays" and make money to "carry them thru"...until they could find another job.

Thanks for reminding me of a "fun" period of my life.

AND...even though today, Monday, Nov 26, 2007 is probably too late to consider starting up a "HouseDecorating" business...you could, keep the idea on the "fire" for next year.

Don Alm