Boston Globe: Unemployed Parents Trim Christmas Plans With Creativity

Ten months ago, Kaarlo Maki lost his job managing a quality assurance team for a Boston financial institution. For Maki, 43, who lives in Quincy and is still seeking employment as Christmas nears, this holiday season is all about making prudent choices, holding what are sometimes difficult family conversations, and generally downsizing expectations: a trifecta familiar to millions who find themselves out of work during a time of year when everyone wants to feel generous and jolly, and retailers promote consumer spending as practically a sacred civic duty.

Read the whole story