Federal Employees' Distributing Company , known as Fedco , was a membership department store chain that operated in Southern California from 1948 to 1999.
117-459: The chain was unusual in that it was a nonprofit consumers' cooperative . It was founded by 800 U.S. Post Office employees who wanted to leverage their buying power by purchasing goods directly from wholesalers, and eliminate the additional markup of a retail store. The Board of Directors, headed by Robert Kee, established the first store on Slauson Avenue in Los Angeles. Members would come into
234-473: A Christmas greeting in the United States for more than 100 years. The increasing usage of "happy holidays" has been the subject of some controversy in the United States . Advocates claim that "happy holidays" is an inclusive greeting that is not intended as an attack on Christianity or other religions, but is rather a response to what they say is the reality of a growing non-Christian population. Opponents of
351-768: A collective, public or social benefit, as opposed to an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners. A nonprofit organization is subject to the non-distribution constraint: any revenues that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization's purpose, not taken by private parties. Depending on the local laws, charities are regularly organized as non-profits. A host of organizations may be nonprofit, including some political organizations, schools, hospitals, business associations, churches, foundations, social clubs, and consumer cooperatives. Nonprofit entities may seek approval from governments to be tax-exempt , and some may also qualify to receive tax-deductible contributions, but an entity may incorporate as
468-424: A delegate structure to allow for the representation of groups or corporations as members. Alternatively, it may be a non-membership organization and the board of directors may elect its own successors. The two major types of nonprofit organization are membership and board-only. A membership organization elects the board and has regular meetings and the power to amend the bylaws. A board-only organization typically has
585-554: A fiscally viable entity. Nonprofits have the responsibility of focusing on being professional and financially responsible, replacing self-interest and profit motive with mission motive. Though nonprofits are managed differently from for-profit businesses, they have felt pressure to be more businesslike. To combat private and public business growth in the public service industry, nonprofits have modeled their business management and mission, shifting their reason of existing to establish sustainability and growth. Setting effective missions
702-666: A gift card than merchandise, an increase from the previous year's 35 percent. Also, resistance to giving gift cards continued to decline: 19 percent said they would not like to give gift cards because they're too impersonal (down from 22 percent last year). Consumers said that the cards are popular gifts for adults, teens and children alike, and almost half (46 percent) intend to buy them for immediate family; however, they are hesitant to buy them for spouses or significant others, with only 14 percent saying they plan to buy them for those recipients. Some stores in Canada hold Boxing Week sales (before
819-675: A lot of seasonal activities and traditions to offer around Christmas time. December 25 and 26 are Public Holidays that makes most shops open for shopping. Locals and tourists love to watch the 30-meter Swarovski Christmas tree in the Central as well as the Christmas light displays on buildings on Victoria Harbour . A huge party in Hong Kong called Winterfest is celebrated every year which involves malls, shops, theme parks and other attractions. South Korea's population are 30 percent Christian and Christmas
936-471: A low-stress work environment that the employee can associate him or herself positively with. Other incentives that should be implemented are generous vacation allowances or flexible work hours. When selecting a domain name , NPOs often use one of the following: .org , the country code top-level domain of their respective country, or the .edu top-level domain (TLD), to differentiate themselves from more commercial entities, which typically use .com . In
1053-406: A majority (57%) say they would likely attend if someone they knew invited them." In the United States, the holiday season "is generally considered to begin with the day after Halloween and end after New Year's Day". According to Axelrad, the season in the United States encompasses at least Christmas and New Year's Day, and also includes Saint Nicholas Day . The U.S. Fire Administration defines
1170-457: A nonprofit entity without having tax-exempt status. Key aspects of nonprofits are accountability, integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, and openness to every person who has invested time, money, and faith into the organisation. Nonprofit organizations are accountable to the donors, founders, volunteers, program recipients, and the public community. Theoretically, for a nonprofit that seeks to finance its operations through donations, public confidence
1287-505: A one-stop shopping destination, similar to a hypermarket concept. The customer/member was presented with a wide variety of consumer products: camera equipment, office machines, major and minor appliances, garden supplies, clothing, jewelry, liquor and groceries. The stores also had a full-service deli and a separate produce department. Many stores also had a tire and battery shop. The corporate buyers often found one-of-a-kind deals on miscellaneous items, including seasonal items like toys during
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#17330860593461404-595: A predominantly Muslim country, also celebrated Christmas as a public holiday. Every year, Ministry of Religious Affairs holds the National Christmas Celebration of the Republic of Indonesia . The program started in 1993 as a suggestion from Tiopan Bernhard Silalahi, who was Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform in the Sixth Development Cabinet , who has Protestant background, to
1521-399: A public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms : gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves . The poet Catullus called it "the best of days." The earliest source stating December 25 as the date of birth of Jesus was Hippolytus of Rome (170–236), written very early in
1638-420: A regional chain and eventually was unable to compete with the national chains. The management tried many new ideas to keep up with competitors, such as accepting bank cards when other stores were only accepting private store credit cards, refurbishing stores, and by allowing fast food chains to open restaurants, such as Panda Express , inside select stores. The company lost $ 14 million caused by damages done to
1755-410: A remedy, and as a return to what they perceive as the root of Christmas, some practice alternative giving . In the United States, the holiday season is a particularly important time for retail shopping, with shoppers spending more than $ 600 billion during the 2013 holiday season, averaging about $ 767 per person. During the 2014 holiday shopping season, retail sales in the United States increased to
1872-684: A self-selected board and a membership whose powers are limited to those delegated to it by the board. A board-only organization's bylaws may even state that the organization does not have any membership, although the organization's literature may refer to its donors or service recipients as 'members'; examples of such organizations are FairVote and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws . The Model Nonprofit Corporation Act imposes many complexities and requirements on membership decision-making. Accordingly, many organizations, such as
1989-471: A strong vision of how to operate the project, try to retain control of the organization, even as new employees or volunteers want to expand the project's scope or change policy. Resource mismanagement is a particular problem with NPOs because the employees are not accountable to anyone who has a direct stake in the organization. For example, an employee may start a new program without disclosing its complete liabilities. The employee may be rewarded for improving
2106-563: A term referring to a countdown to Christmas Day from the beginning of December (although in retail planning the countdown to Christmas usually begins at the end of the summer season , and the beginning of September). Beginning in the mid-20th century, as the Christian-associated Christmas holiday and liturgical season, in some circles, became increasingly commercialized and central to American economics and culture while religio-multicultural sensitivity rose, generic references to
2223-431: A total of over $ 616 billion, and in 2015, retail sales in the United States increased to a total of over $ 630 billion, up from 2014's $ 616 billion. The average US holiday shopper spent on average $ 805. More than half of it was spent on family shopping. It is traditionally considered to commence on the day after American Thanksgiving , a Friday colloquially known as either Black Friday or Green Friday. This
2340-700: A week was possible during the summer surge and the Christmas season. Fedco employees were members of the Teamsters Union , many in Local 232 and 542. They went on strike against the company in the summer of 1979, seeking higher pay as compared to members of the Retail Clerks Union . The strike was resolved after about 3 weeks. In 1994, Fedco was one of the first membership stores to start accepting bank-issued credit cards. Most discount stores of this type did not accept credit cards because transaction fees charged by
2457-578: A wide diversity of structures and purposes. For legal classification, there are, nevertheless, some elements of importance: Some of the above must be (in most jurisdictions in the US at least) expressed in the organization's charter of establishment or constitution. Others may be provided by the supervising authority at each particular jurisdiction. While affiliations will not affect a legal status, they may be taken into consideration by legal proceedings as an indication of purpose. Most countries have laws that regulate
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#17330860593462574-470: Is a Public Holiday . According to the Washington Post , "Koreans prefer cash Christmas gifts over more creative presents." Singapore widely celebrates Christmas which is a Public Holiday in this country. For six weeks, mid-November to early January, the 2.2-kilometre (1.4 mi) stretch of Orchard Road glitters with lights from decorated trees and building facades of malls and hotels. Indonesia,
2691-399: Is a factor in the amount of money that a nonprofit organization is able to raise. Supposedly, the more a nonprofit focuses on their mission, the more public confidence they will gain. This will result in more money for the organization. The activities a nonprofit is partaking in can help build the public's confidence in nonprofits, as well as how ethical the standards and practices are. There
2808-461: Is a key for the successful management of nonprofit organizations. There are three important conditions for effective mission: opportunity, competence, and commitment. One way of managing the sustainability of nonprofit organizations is to establish strong relations with donor groups. This requires a donor marketing strategy, something many nonprofits lack. Nonprofit organizations provide public goods that are undersupplied by government. NPOs have
2925-439: Is an important distinction in the US between non-profit and not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs); while an NFPO does not profit its owners, and money goes into running the organization, it is not required to operate for the public good. An example is a club, whose purpose is its members' enjoyment. Other examples of NFPOs include: credit unions, sports clubs, and advocacy groups. Nonprofit organizations provide services to
3042-414: Is an important distinction in the US between non-profit and not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs); while an NFPO does not profit its owners, and money goes into running the organization, it is not required to operate for the public good. An example is a sports club, whose purpose is its members' enjoyment. The names used and precise regulations vary from one jurisdiction to another. According to
3159-560: Is attested by physical remains in the layouts of late Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological sites, such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland. The primary axes of both of these monuments seem to have been carefully aligned on a sight-line pointing to the winter solstice sunrise (Newgrange) and the winter solstice sunset (Stonehenge). It is significant that the Great Trilithon
3276-614: Is broadcast on Irish television, which features all the popular toys throughout the year being demonstrated and showcased before the holiday season and shopping sprees commence. The Netherlands and Belgium have a double holiday. The first one, the arrival of the Bishop Saint Nicholas and Black Peter, starts about mid November, with presents being given on December 5 or 6. This is a separate holiday from Christmas, Bishop Saint Nick (Sinterklaas) and Santa Claus (Kerstman) being different people. The Netherlands and Belgium often do not start
3393-506: Is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and the season thus also incorporates a "holiday shopping season". This comprises a peak time for the retail sector at the start of the holiday season (the "Christmas shopping season") and a period of sales at the end of the season, the "January sales". Although once dedicated mostly to white sales and clearance sales , the January sales now comprise both winter close-out sales and sales comprising
3510-485: Is concerned. In many countries, nonprofits may apply for tax-exempt status, so that the organization itself may be exempt from income tax and other taxes. In the United States, to be exempt from federal income taxes, the organization must meet the requirements set forth in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Granting nonprofit status is done by the state, while granting tax-exempt designation (such as IRC 501(c) )
3627-450: Is granted by the federal government via the IRS. This means that not all nonprofits are eligible to be tax-exempt. For example, employees of non-profit organizations pay taxes from their salaries, which they receive according to the laws of the country. NPOs use the model of a double bottom line in that furthering their cause is more important than making a profit, though both are needed to ensure
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3744-408: Is not classifiable as another category. Currently, no restrictions are enforced on registration of .com or .org, so one can find organizations of all sorts in either of those domains, as well as other top-level domains including newer, more specific ones which may apply to particular sorts of organization including .museum for museums and .coop for cooperatives . Organizations might also register by
3861-411: Is the remuneration package, though many who have been questioned after leaving an NPO have reported that it was stressful work environments and the workload. Public- and private-sector employment have, for the most part, been able to offer more to their employees than most nonprofit agencies throughout history. Either in the form of higher wages, more comprehensive benefit packages, or less tedious work,
3978-472: Is unique in which source of income works best for them. With an increase in NPOs since 2010, organizations have adopted competitive advantages to create revenue for themselves to remain financially stable. Donations from private individuals or organizations can change each year and government grants have diminished. With changes in funding from year to year, many nonprofit organizations have been moving toward increasing
4095-727: Is widely reputed to be the busiest shopping day of the entire calendar year. However, in 2004 the VISA credit card organization reported that over the previous several years VISA credit card spending had in fact been 8 to 19 percent higher on the last Saturday before Christmas Day (i.e., Super Saturday ) than on Black Friday. A survey conducted in 2005 by GfK NOP discovered that "Americans aren't as drawn to Black Friday as many retailers may think", with only 17 percent of those polled saying that they will begin holiday shopping immediately after Thanksgiving, 13 percent saying that they plan to finish their shopping before November 24 and 10 percent waiting until
4212-735: The Christmas season is a period beginning on Christmas Day (December 25). In some churches (e.g., the Lutheran Churches and the Anglican Communion ), the season continues through Twelfth Night , the day before the Epiphany , which is celebrated either on January 6 or on the Sunday between January 2 and 8. In other churches (e.g., the Roman Catholic Church ), it continues until the feast of
4329-590: The Epiphany . As the economic impact involving the anticipatory lead-up to Christmas Day grew in America and Europe into the 19th and 20th centuries, the term "Christmas season" began to also encompass the liturgical Advent season, the period observed in Western Christianity from the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day until Christmas Eve. The term " Advent calendar " continues to be widely known in Western parlance as
4446-546: The Mellandagsrea (between days sell off) traditionally begins on December 27 (nowadays often December 26 or even December 25) and lasts during the rest of the Christmas holiday. It is similar to Black Friday , but lasts longer. They last 34–35 days. Black Friday itself has also gained publicity in Sweden since the early-2010s. The Swedish Christmas and holiday season continues over Epiphany , and finally ends on St. Knut's Day when
4563-715: The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the United States , including public charities , private foundations , and other nonprofit organizations. Private charitable contributions increased for the fourth consecutive year in 2017 (since 2014), at an estimated $ 410.02 billion. Out of these contributions, religious organizations received 30.9%, education organizations received 14.3%, and human services organizations received 12.1%. Between September 2010 and September 2014, approximately 25.3% of Americans over
4680-610: The Reporter . Edward Butterworth rose from company attorney to Board member to the position of CEO. The department was run by art director and art department manager Sal Heredia and editor Anita McManes. The Reporter was a bi-monthly 62-page dated catalog mailed to members. There were seasonal specials and sales with themes like "Buyers' Goof Days". In addition to showcasing products, it also contained short one-column articles. Most issues contained one article about updates in federal policy that might affect federal employees. The majority of
4797-584: The Victorian era Christmas traditions it typifies, and the term's new meaning appearing in the book popularized the phrase "Merry Christmas". The alternative "Happy Christmas" gained usage in the late 19th century, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a common spoken greeting, along with "Merry Christmas." One reason may be the Victorian middle-class influence in attempting to separate wholesome celebration of
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4914-587: The Wikimedia Foundation , have formed board-only structures. The National Association of Parliamentarians has generated concerns about the implications of this trend for the future of openness, accountability, and understanding of public concerns in nonprofit organizations. Specifically, they note that nonprofit organizations, unlike business corporations, are not subject to market discipline for products and shareholder discipline of their capital; therefore, without membership control of major decisions such as
5031-562: The Winter solstice ); and that by the last quarter of the 4th century, the calendars of both churches included both feasts. The earliest suggestions of a feast of the Baptism of Jesus on January 6 during the 2nd century comes from Clement of Alexandria , but there is no further mention of such a feast until 361, when Emperor Julian attended a feast on January 6 that year. In the Christian tradition ,
5148-501: The holiday season or the holidays , is an annual period generally spanning from late November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day , the various celebrations during this time create a peak season for the retail sector (Christmas/holiday "shopping season") extending to the end of the period ("January sales"). Christmas window displays and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies are customary traditions in various locales. In Western Christianity ,
5265-509: The "winter holiday season" as the period from December 1 to January 7. According to Chen et al., in China, the Christmas and holiday season "is generally considered to begin with the winter solstice and end after the Lantern Festival ". In some stores and shopping malls, Christmas merchandise is advertised beginning after Halloween or even earlier in late October, alongside Halloween items. In
5382-632: The 3rd century, based on the assumption that the conception of Jesus took place at the Spring equinox which he placed on March 25, to which he then added nine months. There is historical evidence that by the middle of the 4th century, the Christian churches of the East celebrated the birth and Baptism of Jesus on the same day, on January 8, while those in the West celebrated a Nativity feast on December 25 (perhaps influenced by
5499-401: The 4.6 cards they planned to buy the previous year. One in six consumers (16 percent) planned to buy 10 or more cards, compared with 11 percent the previous year. Consumers also spent more in total on gift cards and more per card: $ 36.25 per card on average compared with $ 30.22 last year. Gift cards continued to grow in acceptance: Almost four in 10 consumers surveyed (39 percent) would rather get
5616-650: The Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday following the Epiphany, or on the Monday following the Epiphany if the Epiphany is moved to January 7 or 8. If the Epiphany is kept on January 6, the Church of England 's use of the term Christmas season corresponds to the Twelve Days of Christmas , and ends on Twelfth Night. This short Christmas season is preceded by Advent , which begins on
5733-460: The Christmas holiday season. The stores were tightly managed. To foster smooth operation, romantic interest between employees was discouraged, and married couples were not allowed to hold Fedco jobs concurrently. Some of the departments around the periphery of the building were not Fedco businesses, but instead were concessions operated by others. For example, the Stereo Components department
5850-514: The Christmas season from public insobriety and associated asocial behaviour, at a time when merry also meant ' intoxicated ' – Queen Elizabeth II is said to have preferred "Happy Christmas" for this reason. In her annual Christmas messages to the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth used "Happy Christmas" far more often than "Merry Christmas." The latter was used only four times during her reign: in 1962, 1967, 1970 and 1999; "Happy Christmas"
5967-577: The Christmas season is traditionally synonymous with Christmastide , which runs from December 25 (Christmas Day) to January 5 ( Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve ), popularly known as the 12 Days of Christmas . Christmas in Italy begins on 8 December, with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception , the day on which traditionally the Christmas tree is mounted and ends on 6 January, of the following year with
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#17330860593466084-466: The Christmas season until December 6 or 7, i.e. after Sinterklaas has finished. In France, the January sales are restricted by legislation to no more than four weeks in Paris, and no more than six weeks for the rest of the country, usually beginning on the first Wednesday in January, and are one of only two periods of the year when retailers are permitted to hold sales. In Italy, the January sales begin on
6201-678: The La Cienega store during the Los Angeles riots of 1992 . Fedco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999, at which point it had been the longest-operating membership-based store in the country. Most of its locations were sold to the Target chain, while others (like the Escondido, California , location) were razed, and the Ontario location became the city's police department. The $ 10 lifetime membership at Fedco
6318-452: The NPO's reputation, making other employees happy, and attracting new donors. Liabilities promised on the full faith and credit of the organization but not recorded anywhere constitute accounting fraud . But even indirect liabilities negatively affect the financial sustainability of the NPO, and the NPO will have financial problems unless strict controls are instated. Some commenters have argued that
6435-481: The U.S. to encompass Thanksgiving is believed to have begun in the 1920s, when in major department stores Macy's and Gimbels launched competing Thanksgiving Day parades to promote Christmas sales. Due to the phenomenon of Christmas creep and the informal inclusion of Thanksgiving, the Christmas and holiday season has begun to extend earlier into the year, overlapping Veterans / Remembrance / Armistice Day , Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night . The exchange of gifts
6552-644: The UK and Ireland, Christmas food generally appears on supermarket shelves as early as September or even August, while the Christmas shopping season itself starts from mid-November, when the high street Christmas lights are switched on. Secular icons and symbols, such as Santa Claus , the Nutcracker , Jack Frost , Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman , are on display in addition to Christian displays of
6669-418: The UK in 2010, up to £8 billion was expected to be spent online at Christmas, approximately a quarter of total retail festive sales. Retailers in the UK call Christmas the "golden quarter", that is, the three months of October to December is the quarter of the year in which the retail industry hopes to make the most money. In Ireland, around early December or late November each year, The Late Late Toy Show
6786-447: The United States and before Halloween in Canada. In the UK and Ireland retailers call Christmas the "golden quarter", that is, the three months of October through December is the quarter of the year in which the retail industry hopes to make the most profit. In the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, the Christmas shopping season starts from mid-November, around the time when high street Christmas lights are turned on. In
6903-407: The United States over recent decades. While in other countries the only holidays included in the "season" are Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephen's Day/ Boxing Day , New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and Epiphany , in recent times, this term in the U.S. began to expand to include Yule , Hanukkah , Kwanzaa , Thanksgiving , Black Friday and Cyber Monday . The expansion of the holiday season in
7020-461: The age of 16 volunteered for a nonprofit. In the United States, both nonprofit organizations and not-for-profit organizations are tax-exempt. There are various types of nonprofit exemptions, such as 501(c)(3) organizations that are a religious, charitable, or educational-based organization that does not influence state and federal legislation, and 501(c)(7) organizations that are for pleasure, recreation, or another nonprofit purpose. There
7137-649: The appropriate country code top-level domain for their country. In 2020, nonprofit organizations began using microvlogging (brief videos with short text formats) on TikTok to reach Gen Z, engage with community stakeholders, and overall build community. TikTok allowed for innovative engagement between nonprofit organizations and younger generations. During COVID-19, TikTok was specifically used to connect rather than inform or fundraise, as its fast-paced, tailored For You Page separates itself from other social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter. Some organizations offer new, positive-sounding alternative terminology to describe
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#17330860593467254-779: The articles were about minor but colorful stories in California history, and were labeled with a "California Historical" logo. Copies of the Fedco Reporter and other Fedco paraphernalia are now being maintained as part of the Fedco Superstores Inc. Collections Archived 2014-10-18 at the Wayback Machine in the Cal State L.A. University Library. Fedco predated the giant chains Walmart , Target , Kmart , Ames , and fellow membership chains Costco and Sam's Club , but remained
7371-401: The best of the newly minted workforce. It has been mentioned that most nonprofits will never be able to match the pay of the private sector and therefore should focus their attention on benefits packages, incentives and implementing pleasurable work environments. A good environment is ranked higher than salary and pressure of work. NPOs are encouraged to pay as much as they are able and offer
7488-497: The books until January, extending the length of the season makes sense". According to the Deloitte 2007 Holiday Survey, for the fourth straight year, gift cards were expected to be the top gift purchase in 2007, with more than two-thirds (69 percent) of consumers surveyed planning to buy them, compared with 66 percent in 2006. In addition, holiday shoppers planned to buy even more cards that year: an average of 5.5 cards, compared with
7605-557: The children have a Knut's party . In Bosnia ( Republika Srpska ), Montenegro and Serbia, holiday sales starts in the middle of December and last for at least one month. The Philippines reportedly has the longest Christmas season , extending from September to January 9 (the feast of the Black Nazarene ). Over the country, parols (star shaped lanterns) are hung and lights are lit. Simbang Gabi or dawn masses start December 16 and run for nine days until Christmas Eve. Hong Kong has
7722-565: The community; for example aid and development programs, medical research, education, and health services. It is possible for a nonprofit to be both member-serving and community-serving. Nonprofit organizations are not driven by generating profit, but they must bring in enough income to pursue their social goals. Nonprofits are able to raise money in different ways. This includes income from donations from individual donors or foundations; sponsorship from corporations; government funding; programs, services or merchandise sales, and investments. Each NPO
7839-544: The credit card transaction processors were quite high in relation to their (single-digit percent range) margins, and they would have to raise prices to compensate, putting them at a competitive disadvantage to stores that did not accept credit cards. Fedco had several locations in Southern California including: Previous locations: The Fedco Reporter was the store's catalog and magazine. Board President Robert Kee and Edward Butterworth were instrumental in establishing
7956-402: The diversity of their funding sources. For example, many nonprofits that have relied on government grants have started fundraising efforts to appeal to individual donors. Most nonprofits have staff that work for the company, possibly using volunteers to perform the nonprofit's services under the direction of the paid staff. Nonprofits must be careful to balance the salaries paid to staff against
8073-432: The election of the board, there are few inherent safeguards against abuse. A rebuttal to this might be that as nonprofit organizations grow and seek larger donations, the degree of scrutiny increases, including expectations of audited financial statements. A further rebuttal might be that NPOs are constrained, by their choice of legal structure, from financial benefit as far as distribution of profit to members and directors
8190-452: The end of the year) for income tax purposes. What has become known as "Christmas creep" refers to a merchandising phenomenon in which merchants and retailers exploit the commercialized status of Christmas by moving up the start of the holiday shopping season. The term was first used in the mid-1980s, and is associated with a desire of merchants to take advantage of particularly heavy Christmas-related shopping well before Black Friday in
8307-402: The end-of-the-year festive period. "Holiday season" has also spread in varying degrees to Canada; however, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the phrase "holiday season" has been the subject of some controversy. The winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere occurring in late December) may have been a special moment of the annual cycle for some cultures even during Neolithic times. This
8424-475: The establishment and management of NPOs and that require compliance with corporate governance regimes. Most larger organizations are required to publish their financial reports detailing their income and expenditure publicly. In many aspects, they are similar to corporate business entities though there are often significant differences. Both not-for-profit and for-profit corporate entities must have board members, steering-committee members, or trustees who owe
8541-447: The first commercial Christmas card , produced by Henry Cole in England in 1843. Also in 1843, Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol was published, during the mid Victorian revival of the holiday. The word "merry" was then beginning to take on its current meaning of "jovial, cheerful, jolly and outgoing." " Merry Christmas " in this new context figured prominently in A Christmas Carol . The cynical Ebenezer Scrooge rudely deflects
8658-568: The first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday . The Pew Research Center found that as of 2014, 72% of Americans support the presence of Christian Christmas decorations, such as the nativity scene , on government property; of that 72%, "survey data finds that a plurality (44%) of Americans say Christian symbols, such as nativity scenes, should be allowed on government property even if they are not accompanied by symbols from other faiths." Six in ten Americans attend church services during Christmastime, and "among those who don't attend church at Christmastime,
8775-603: The first weekend in January, and last for at least six weeks. In Croatia and Bosnia (predominantly Sarajevo) the sales periods are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act. The January sales period starts on December 27 and can last up to 60 days. In Germany, the Winterschlussverkauf (winter sale before the season ends) was one of two official sales periods (the other being the Sommerschlussverkauf ,
8892-468: The fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, coinciding with the majority of the commercialized Christmas and holiday season. The Anglican Communion follows the Christmas season with an Epiphany season lasting until Candlemas (February 2), which is traditionally the 40th day of the Christmas – Epiphany season; meanwhile, in the Lutheran Churches and the Methodist Churches , Epiphanytide lasts until
9009-409: The friendly greeting: "If I could work my will ... every idiot who goes about with 'merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding ." After the visit from the ghosts of Christmas effects his transformation, Scrooge exclaims; "I am as merry as a school-boy. A merry Christmas to everybody!" and heartily exchanges the wish to all he meets. The instant popularity of A Christmas Carol ,
9126-412: The greeting generally claim it is a secular neologism intended to de-emphasize Christmas or even supplant it entirely. "Happy holidays" has been variously characterized by critics as politically correct , materialistic , consumerist , atheistic , indifferentist , agnostic, anti-theist , anti-Christian , or even a covert form of Christian cultural imperialism . The phrase has been associated with
9243-569: The largely non-Christian nations of China and Japan, where Christmas is celebrated primarily due to cultural influences of predominantly Christian countries. They have somewhat decreased in popularity in the United States and Canada in recent decades, but polls in 2005 indicated that they remained more popular than "happy holidays" or other alternatives. "Merry," derived from the Old English myrige , originally meant merely ' pleasant, agreeable ' rather than ' joyous ' or ' jolly ' (as in
9360-495: The last day before performing their holiday gift shopping. According to a survey by the Canadian Toy Association, peak sales in the toy industry occur in the Christmas and holiday season, but this peak has been occurring later and later in the season every year. In 2005, the kick-off to the Christmas and holiday season for online shopping , the first Monday after US Thanksgiving, was named Cyber Monday . Although it
9477-404: The lowest price, even if it was only pennies below the customary 99 cent prices of competitors. For most of its lifetime, Fedco was closed on Wednesdays, though some employees would work, re-stocking or taking inventory. During the Christmas season, Fedco was open 7 days a week to accommodate the customer surge. Fedco would sometimes require employees to work up to 10 hours a day. Working 6 days
9594-511: The money paid to provide services to the nonprofit's beneficiaries. Organizations whose salary expenses are too high relative to their program expenses may face regulatory scrutiny. A second misconception is that nonprofit organizations may not make a profit. Although the goal of nonprofits is not specifically to maximize profits, they still have to operate as a fiscally responsible business. They must manage their income (both grants and donations and income from services) and expenses so as to remain
9711-447: The most common used venue was Jakarta Convention Center . But since 2014, the tradition was changed by the newly elected President of Indonesia Joko Widodo , and is now held in a different city each year. A selection of goodwill greetings are often used around the world to address strangers, family, colleagues or friends during the season. Some greetings are more prevalent than others, depending on culture and location. Traditionally,
9828-451: The nativity. Public holiday celebrations and observances similarly range from midnight mass to Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, Santa Claus parades , sleigh ridings , church services , decorations , traditions , festivals, outdoor markets , feasts , social gatherings and the singing of carols . The precise definition of feasts and festival days that are encompassed by the Christmas and holiday season has become controversial in
9945-445: The nonprofit sector today regarding newly graduated workers, and to some, NPOs have for too long relegated hiring to a secondary priority, which could be why they find themselves in the position many do. While many established NPOs are well-funded and comparative to their public sector competitors, many more are independent and must be creative with which incentives they use to attract and maintain people. The initial interest for many
10062-411: The organization a fiduciary duty of loyalty and trust. A notable exception to this involves churches , which are often not required to disclose finances to anyone, including church members. In the United States, nonprofit organizations are formed by filing bylaws, articles of incorporation , or both in the state in which they expect to operate. The act of incorporation creates a legal entity enabling
10179-452: The organization to be treated as a distinct body (corporation) by law and to enter into business dealings, form contracts, and own property as individuals or for-profit corporations can. Nonprofits can have members, but many do not. The nonprofit may also be a trust or association of members. The organization may be controlled by its members who elect the board of directors , board of governors or board of trustees . A nonprofit may have
10296-463: The organization's sustainability. An advantage of nonprofits registered in the UK is that they benefit from some reliefs and exemptions. Charities and nonprofits are exempt from Corporation Tax as well as the trustees being exempt from Income Tax. There may also be tax relief available for charitable giving, via Gift Aid, monetary donations, and legacies. Founder's syndrome is an issue organizations experience as they expand. Dynamic founders, who have
10413-483: The phrase "merry month of May"). Christmas has been celebrated since at least the 4th century CE, the first known usage of any Christmas greeting dates was in 1534. " Merry Christmas and a happy new year " (thus incorporating two greetings) was in an informal letter written by an English admiral in 1699. The same phrase is contained in the title of the English carol " We Wish You a Merry Christmas ," and also appears in
10530-471: The phrases in the US. In North America, "happy holidays" has, along with the similarly generalized "season's greetings", become a common seasonal expression, both spoken as a personal greeting and used in advertisements, on greeting cards, and in commercial and public spaces such as retail businesses, public schools, and government agencies. Its use is generally confined to the period between American Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. The phrase has been used as
10647-486: The predominant greetings of the season have been "Merry Christmas", "Happy Christmas", and "Happy New Year". In the mid-to-late 20th century in the United States, more generic greetings such as "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" began to rise in cultural prominence, and this would later spread to other Western countries including Canada, Australia and to a lesser extent some European countries. A 2012 poll by Rasmussen Reports indicated that 68 percent of Americans prefer
10764-485: The previous year. Analysts had predicted the peak on December 12, noting that Mondays are the most popular days for online shopping during the holiday shopping season, in contrast to the middle of the week during the rest of the year. They attribute this to people "shopping in stores and malls on the weekends, and ... extending that shopping experience when they get into work on Monday" by "looking for deals ... comparison shopping and ... finding items that were out of stock in
10881-550: The public and private sectors have enjoyed an advantage over NPOs in attracting employees. Traditionally, the NPO has attracted mission-driven individuals who want to assist their chosen cause. Compounding the issue is that some NPOs do not operate in a manner similar to most businesses, or only seasonally. This leads many young and driven employees to forego NPOs in favor of more stable employment. Today, however, nonprofit organizations are adopting methods used by their competitors and finding new means to retain their employees and attract
10998-483: The receipt of significant funding from large for-profit corporations can ultimately alter the NPO's functions. A frequent measure of an NPO's efficiency is its expense ratio (i.e. expenditures on things other than its programs, divided by its total expenditures). Competition for employees with the public and private sector is another problem that nonprofit organizations inevitably face, particularly for management positions. There are reports of major talent shortages in
11115-590: The redemption of gift cards given as presents. Young-Bean Song, director of analytics at the Atlas Institute in Seattle, states that it is a "myth that the holiday shopping season starts with Thanksgiving and ends with Christmas. January is a key part of the holiday season." stating that for the U.S. e-commerce sector January sales volumes matched December sales volumes in the 2004–2005 Christmas and holiday season. Many people find this time particularly stressful. As
11232-506: The sales. Since a legislative reform to the corresponding law in 2004, season sales are now allowed over the whole year and are no longer restricted to season-related goods. However, voluntary sales still called "Winterschlussverkauf" take place further on in most stores at the same time every year. In Sweden, where the week of the first Advent Sunday marks the official start of the Christmas and holiday season, continuing with Saint Lucy's Day on December 13, followed up by Christmas before
11349-549: The season that omitted the word "Christmas" became more common in the corporate and public sphere of the United States, which has caused a semantics controversy that continues to the present. By the late 20th century, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and the new African American cultural holiday of Kwanzaa began to be considered in the U.S. as being part of the "holiday season", a term that as of 2013 had become equally or more prevalent than "Christmas season" in U.S. sources to refer to
11466-399: The sector in its own terms, without relying on terminology used for the government or business sectors. However, use of terminology by a nonprofit of self-descriptive language that is not legally compliant risks confusing the public about nonprofit abilities, capabilities, and limitations. Christmas and holiday season The Christmas season or the festive season ; also known as
11583-558: The sector. The term civil society organization (CSO) has been used by a growing number of organizations, including the Center for the Study of Global Governance . The term citizen sector organization (CSO) has also been advocated to describe the sector – as one of citizens, for citizens – by organizations including Ashoka: Innovators for the Public . Advocates argue that these terms describe
11700-434: The sender pays) prior to Christmas Eve; this day is usually on or near December 16. Four of the largest 11 online shopping days in 2005 were December 11 to 16, with an increase of 12 percent over 2004 figures. In 2011, Cyber Monday was slightly busier than Green Monday and Free Shipping Day, although all three days registered sales of over US$ 1 billion, and all three days registered gains ranging from 14 to 22 percent over
11817-663: The start and new winter merchandise for the January sales. Michael P. Niemira, chief economist and director of research for the Shopping Center Council, stated that he expected gift certificate usage to be between US$ 30 billion and US$ 40 billion in the 2006–2007 holiday shopping season. On the basis of the growing popularity of gift certificates, he stated that "To get a true picture of holiday sales, one may consider measuring October, November, December and January sales combined as opposed to just November and December sales.", because with "a hefty amount of that spending not hitting
11934-527: The store and find items they wished to purchase in various catalogs. As demand grew, the Board of Directors began to carry merchandise in the store. Business flourished and they took over adjoining storefronts. Under the guidance of Kee, FedScript was developed. This allowed a form of "borrowing" but ensured that the funds could only be spent at Fedco. Lines included general merchandise, grocery, and, in some locations, auto services and furniture. Lifetime membership
12051-482: The stores in cash, since the lifetime membership cards did not include photographic ID like those used by later membership stores such as Sam's Club . Anyone could borrow or take a member's card and enter. Names on the cards were only checked when paying by check. Fedco's lifetime membership cost $ 10 (~$ 19.00 in 2023) in 1998. At its peak, Fedco had ten department stores plus three appliance-only stores, and served 4 million members. The management strove to make Fedco
12168-416: The stores". In 2006, the average US household was expected to spend about $ 1,700 on Christmas and holiday spendings. Retail strategists such as ICSC Research observed in 2005 that 15 percent of holiday expenditures were in the form of gift certificates, a percentage that was rising. So they recommended that retailers manage their inventories for the entire holiday shopping season, with a leaner inventory at
12285-400: The summer sales). It begins on the last Monday in January and lasts for 12 days, selling left-over goods from the holiday shopping season, as well as the winter collections. However, unofficially, goods are sold at reduced prices by many stores throughout the whole of January. By the time the sales officially begin the only goods left on sale are low-quality ones, often specially manufactured for
12402-456: The then President of Indonesia Soeharto . Since that, National Christmas Celebration has been held every year, except in 2004, which was canceled as a condolence for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami , and in 2018, which was canceled as a condolence for the victims of the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami . Until 2013, National Christmas Celebration was always held in Jakarta ,
12519-486: The traditional domain noted in RFC 1591 , .org is for "organizations that didn't fit anywhere else" in the naming system, which implies that it is the proper category for non-commercial organizations if they are not governmental, educational, or one of the other types with a specific TLD. It is not designated specifically for charitable organizations or any specific organizational or tax-law status, but encompasses anything that
12636-594: The use of "Merry Christmas", while 23 percent preferred "Happy Holidays". A similarly timed Canadian poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid indicated that 72 percent of Canadians preferred "Merry Christmas." The greetings and farewells "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas" are traditionally used in English-speaking countries, starting a few weeks before December 25 every year. Variations are: These greetings and their equivalents in other languages are popular not only in countries with large Christian populations, but also in
12753-435: The years, the membership pool was widened to include anyone who had any relationship with the federal or local governments, as well as their employees, children, etc. It also included anyone who received regular payments from the government, such as social security pensions. Membership cards were required to enter a store and to use a check as payment. However, it was very difficult to restrict non-members from purchasing from
12870-466: Was a peak, that was not the busiest online shopping day of that year. The busiest online shopping days were December 12 and 13, almost two weeks later; the second Monday in December has since become known as Green Monday . Another notable day is Free Shipping Day, a promotional day that serves as the last day in which a person can order a good online and have it arrive via standard shipping (the price of which
12987-481: Was common for the stores to be crowded, with long lines at checkout. A picture of a packed LA Coliseum , posted above the drinking fountain near the exit of the San Bernardino store, proclaimed, "More people shop at Fedco stores each week than the attendance of the 1984 Olympic Games opening ceremonies!" There were separate registers for general merchandise, groceries and produce. At one time, purchased merchandise
13104-399: Was exchanged for a $ 300 Target coupon book at the 1999 bankruptcy. The proceeds of the bankruptcy sale were placed in a trust fund intended to charitably serve communities that had hosted Fedco stores. Nonprofit A nonprofit organization ( NPO ), also known as a nonbusiness entity , nonprofit institution , or simply a nonprofit , is a legal entity organized and operated for
13221-411: Was less than five dollars for employees of the U.S. government , students, and their family members. The organization of the company was similar to that used for credit unions , in which the stores were owned and operated by a not-for-profit organization that was owned by its members, who elected a board of directors. Like a credit union, store membership was legally restricted to a defined group. Over
13338-565: Was oriented outwards from the middle of the monument, i.e. its smooth flat face was turned towards the midwinter Sun. Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honor of the deity Saturn , the god of time, held on December 17 of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through December 23. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn , in the Roman Forum , and
13455-530: Was placed in a bag and a color-coded tape was placed on the stapled bag. The tape color varied from day to day to prevent theft. In later years, as merchandise was bagged, the bags were stapled shut and the receipt stapled on the top. In a precursor to the common practice at most membership clubs today, the sealed bags and receipts were checked at the exit. Fedco had an aggressive pricing model and employed "secret shoppers" to determine prices of other retailers. The Fedco price on many items ended in 87 cents to claim
13572-650: Was run by Coastron, seller of the Soundcraftsmen line of stereo equipment. Coastron paid rent to Fedco to operate in the building. Other concessions included the Optical Department (later bought out by Fedco), the Shaver Shop, and the Key & Lock Shop. Fedco offered a variety of private label items, including electronics, liquor, watches and some groceries. The membership model was successful for Fedco for decades. It
13689-467: Was used on almost every broadcast since 1956. One year included both greetings, and "blessed Christmas" was used in 1954 and 2007. In the American poet Clement Moore 's A Visit from St. Nicholas (1823), the final line, originally written as "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night", has been changed in many later editions to "Merry Christmas to all," perhaps indicating the relative popularity of
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