Wow, some other perspectives
Although I agree with you all and have felt variations of the same seasonal extortion; plenty of things run past my mind....I'll give them something on the way, I'l just nod and push through. I admit, you see mor of them in Florida than you do up here in the mountains.
Maybe because of the weather. Right now it's 28' and snowing. Maybe harder to find volunteers?
And yes, I think it's a violation of privacy to have them so close to the store fronts.
They'd be better served with a 15 second commercial plea on TV to remember them at Yuletide and have you donate to this or that address instead. And I'm sure with the economy as it is today, some volunteers will get abused verbally while standing around.