Economy
A Bleak Christmas in Recession-Ravaged Europe
Gift purchases are dow n, Christmas lights are dim, and families are suffering.
The euro zone debt crisis has put a damper on this festive time of year in southern Europe. In Greece, families say they're turning off the heat and skipping meat at Christmas dinner. Lisboners will be cutting back on gifts (one cleaning lady told Reuters she will only give "bare necessities"). And Italian civil servant Nadia di Santo, 38, told the outlet:
Shop owners haven't been spared. Many report a steep drop in sales, along with unusually quiet storefronts. "We were selling three times as much this time last year," butcher Jesus Cerelo told Reuters.