Christmas rant

Spousoid and I registered for this anonymous Christmas prezzie thing. You register online, and you get sent the name and brief profile of someone you need to send a prezzie to. In return someone else sends you one.

Now it gets interesting. Take two packages to post office. "Sorry Sir, American new rules say no packages more than 400g. More 400 grammes, you have send by Courier"

Back in the car, and off to the courier company.

At the courier company, a very pleasant Egyptian gentleman helps out..
"America? We have to phone Customs. Very sorry Sir, I think America not like us anymore.Too many rules"

What is in packet?
- A tshirt
Where was it made?
- I don't know! I bought it in the souk in Kuwaiti street
Sorry Sir, American customs rules..
- Well it was probably made by child slave labour in North Korea
Sir?
- Tell them China
Ok sir. Sir, they want to know what is it made of?
- Tell them 100% cotton.
Sir, the stitching?
- Do I look like a textile engineer? Tell them nylon.
Sir the beads on the shirt, what are they made of?
- plastic
Sir, if it was not made in UAE, do you have certificate of origin?
- No
Ok Sir, maybe problem, but we will try.
What else is in packet?
- cushion cover
Sir, for cushion cover I have to phone customs...
Sir, what is stuffing made of?
- It is a cushion cover, not a cushion - no stuffing
Sir, what is the material?
- do you really need to know?
Sir, if I dont write, they will not accept package for America.

This process gets repeated - until I get to the spices.
Sir, no spices allowed. Sir sorry Sir, but I think America very angry. They want not even Americans to send parcels home.

So I've taken my parcels back home. Rudolph the fucking reindeer isn't visiting fucking America this year.