Last year, two days after Christmas, we kicked China out of the house.
Last
year
,
two
days
after
Christmas
,
we
kicked
China
out
of
the
house
.
Not the country obviously, but bits of plastic, metal, and wood with the words "Made in China".
Not
the
country
obviously
,
but
bits
of
plastic
,
metal
,
and
wood
with
the
words
``
Made
in
China
''
.
We kept what we already had, but stopped bringing any more in.
We
kept
what
we
already
had
,
but
stopped
bringing
any
more
in
.
because it had coated our lives with toys, and useless stuff.
because
it
had
coated
our
lives
with
toys
,
and
useless
stuff
.
Sometimes I worried about jobs sent overseas, but price triumphed over virtue at our house.
Sometimes
I
worried
about
jobs
sent
overseas
,
but
price
triumphed
over
virtue
at
our
house
.
We couldn't resist what China was selling.
We
could
n't
resist
what
China
was
selling
.
But on that dark Monday last year, an unease feeling washed over me as I sat on the sofa.
But
on
that
dark
Monday
last
year
,
an
unease
feeling
washed
over
me
as
I
sat
on
the
sofa
.
It wasn't until then that I noticed a fact: China was taking over the place.
It
was
n't
until
then
that
I
noticed
a
fact
:
China
was
taking
over
the
place
.
It stared back at me from the empty screen of the television.
It
stared
back
at
me
from
the
empty
screen
of
the
television
.
I spied it in the pile of tennis shoes by the door.
I
spied
it
in
the
pile
of
tennis
shoes
by
the
door
.
It glowed in the lights on the Christmas tree and watched me in the eyes of a doll lying on the floor, I slipped off the couch and sorted gifts into two piles: China and non-China.
It
glowed
in
the
lights
on
the
Christmas
tree
and
watched
me
in
the
eyes
of
a
doll
lying
on
the
floor
,
I
slipped
off
the
couch
and
sorted
gifts
into
two
piles
:
China
and
non-China
.
The count came to China, 25, the world, 14.
The
count
came
to
China
,
25
,
the
world
,
14
.
Christmas, I realized, had become a holiday made by the Chinese.
Christmas
,
I
realized
,
had
become
a
holiday
made
by
the
Chinese
.
Suddenly I wanted China out.
Suddenly
I
wanted
China
out
.
I persuaded my husband, and on Jan. 1 st, we started a-year-long household embargo on Chinese imports.
I
persuaded
my
husband
,
and
on
Jan.
1
st
,
we
started
a-year-long
household
embargo
on
Chinese
imports
.
The idea wasn't to punish China.
The
idea
was
n't
to
punish
China
.
And we didn't fool ourselves into thinking because we wanted to measure how far it had pushed in.
And
we
did
n't
fool
ourselves
into
thinking
because
we
wanted
to
measure
how
far
it
had
pushed
in
.
We wanted to know what it would take in time, money, and worry to kick our China habit!
We
wanted
to
know
what
it
would
take
in
time
,
money
,
and
worry
to
kick
our
China
habit
!
In the spring, our 4-year-old son started a campaign to support "China things".
In
the
spring
,
our
4-year-old
son
started
a
campaign
to
support
``
China
things
''
.
"It's too long without China," he cried.
``
It
's
too
long
without
China
,
''
he
cried
.
He kept at me all day.
He
kept
at
me
all
day
.
I have discovered for myself that China doesn't control every aspect of our daily lives, but if you take a close look at the underside of boxes in the toy department, I promise it will give you pause.
I
have
discovered
for
myself
that
China
does
n't
control
every
aspect
of
our
daily
lives
,
but
if
you
take
a
close
look
at
the
underside
of
boxes
in
the
toy
department
,
I
promise
it
will
give
you
pause
.
"When we can buy China things again?
``
When
we
can
buy
China
things
again
?
Let's never stop."
Let
's
never
stop
.
''
My son said.
My
son
said
.
After a year without China I can tell you this: You can still live without it, but it's getting costlier by the day.
After
a
year
without
China
I
can
tell
you
this
:
You
can
still
live
without
it
,
but
it
's
getting
costlier
by
the
day
.
And a decade from now I may not be brave enough to try it again.
And
a
decade
from
now
I
may
not
be
brave
enough
to
try
it
again
.
Last year, two days after Christmas, we kicked China out of the house. Not the country obviously, but bits of plastic, metal, and wood with the words "Made in China". We kept what we already had, but stopped bringing any more in. because it had coated our lives with toys, and useless stuff. Sometimes I worried about jobs sent overseas, but price triumphed over virtue at our house. We couldn't resist what China was selling.  But on that dark Monday last year, an unease feeling washed over me as I sat on the sofa. It wasn't until then that I noticed a fact: China was taking over the place.  It stared back at me from the empty screen of the television. I spied it in the pile of tennis shoes by the door. It glowed in the lights on the Christmas tree and watched me in the eyes of a doll lying on the floor, I slipped off the couch and sorted gifts into two piles: China and non-China. The count came to China, 25, the world, 14. Christmas, I realized, had become a holiday made by the Chinese. Suddenly I wanted China out.  I persuaded my husband, and on Jan. 1 st, we started a-year-long household embargo on Chinese imports. The idea wasn't to punish China. And we didn't fool ourselves into thinking because we wanted to measure how far it had pushed in. We wanted to know what it would take in time, money, and worry to kick our China habit!  In the spring, our 4-year-old son started a campaign to support "China things". "It's too long without China," he cried. He kept at me all day. I have discovered for myself that China doesn't control every aspect of our daily lives, but if you take a close look at the underside of boxes in the toy department, I promise it will give you pause. "When we can buy China things again? Let's never stop." My son said.  After a year without China I can tell you this: You can still live without it, but it's getting costlier by the day. And a decade from now I may not be brave enough to try it again.