in defense of German consumerism

I really shouldn't even attempt this subject because I am so woefully ignorant of economies, social structures, etc. But I've been thinking about what Brickdude observed last week, and I have to toss in my two Euro cents.

I'm not sure what the attitude about Christmas was in Germany, in terms of orgy of gift-giving. It sure feels out of control here. I keep thinking about what the money I'm spending could buy for someone who was actually in need ... but I digress.
I do, however, remember the things that affected me. Namely, convenience. I lived in Germany from 1997/'99 -- 19 months -- when I first worked for Stars and Stripes. I had a "TOOM Markt" just up the street from my hotel room. It's a grocery/assorted other stuff store. Multipurpose, but mostly groceries. Rather fascinating to wander around and learn the names of fruits, wonder about the contents of most of the cans and boxes on the shelves, and buy a mystery cheese that could later be heated over bread in the company microwave, but since it was stinky cheese, as it turns out, the entire office would reek for hours. Good times!
But don't try to get through the doors of TOOM after, oh, 7:55. Perhaps even earlier. Because that baby closed at 2000 sharp (8 p.m.), and woe to you if you kept those Groceryfrau there past hours. TOOM also closed in midafternoon on Saturday, and all day Sunday. Don't ask me when two-income families ever shopped. Probably on their many, many national holidays (many of them religious occasion-based). Or on their way home?
So, occasionally, I'd be baking or cooking something after work -- I worked from noon to 8 just down the street from TOOM and the motel suite in which I lived -- and I'd think, "Schize!" (joke. I probably said 'drat' or something) "Drat! I need another egg!" Also -- I had one of those teensy-tiny fridges, about the size of Mike and Stacy's currently, that could hold, oh, a half-bag of groceries or so. Stocking up on most things wasn't an option.
Could I run down to the German equivalent of a 7-11? Nope. Actually, I think these types of things did exist -- gas stations, anyway, with convenience stores -- but only closer to downtown. Not where most people actually LIVED. And I doubt they sold eggs. Probably lots of beer, though.
Oh, and Germans also seemed to make things from scratch a lot. To buy their produce and bread daily. Ahhh, the bakeries! I miss the Bakerei.
My point in all this is, Germans might shop a lot. Or they might not. There are many shops, of this we have no doubt. But I liked their priorities. They were very set on being home with their families, or on holiday, or just generally AWAY FROM WORK now and then. Oh, and they also took a half-day off on Friday afternoons. This was annoying and inconvenient to those of us who expect someone to be there to sell us stuff at any time of day or night, but I imagine I could have adjusted and thrived in those conditions, had I stayed for longer. It's worth sacrificing something to allow everyone to have lives once in awhile.
What does this work ethic mean for their economy? I have no idea. Maybe America would crumble into dust if we did the same. But I've always said -- please don't throw anything at me for this -- that it might be better if America was a wee bit weaker, anyway.
Feel free, though, in a non-throwing-things way, to set me straight if you see differently.

Oh, and, side note -- they did NOT have Starbucks over there yet. They had some really tasty German coffee, which I realized after about half my stay had elapsed, but you could not get it in a takeaway-type cup. You had to stay and sip it there in their little cafe. Which was quite lovely, unless you were unused to doing things that way. Investing time in your little coffee moment.
It always reminds me of Europe now, when I take the time to sit in -- or on the sidewalk outside of -- a coffee place. Especially if it's morning. It makes me want to pick up my little travel book and go hunt down and take pictures of cool stuff.