Topic : 12/11 Dr. Phil and Robin’s Christmas Show!

I believe the studio has a maximum seating arrangement of 250 seats.  It stands to reason that not everyone can fit into a studio that size, so of course lots of people were left out.  Yes, the gifts were extravagant, but the recipients can do whatever they want with them, including exchanging them for more appropriate items later.  That's what I did after the 2003 Christmas Show.  I received some electronic gifts, technology that's way over my head.  I successfully exchanged those items for products better suited for my family.  The only thing I wasn't successful at exchanging was a Delphi Satellite radio.  So I just donated it to the Habitat for Humanity for their annual Charity Auction.

But Christmas isn't about the gifts. I won't deny that it's lots of fun to give & receive, but there's more to it than that.  I was financially strapped when I got to go to the 2003 Christmas Show.  As I stated in another message on 12-19-06, not only did the Dr.Phil Show give me hope, but my church & employer helped out too.  Since then, I've been able to enjoy Christmas from a whole different perspective.  "You'll have no true joy at Christmas if Christ is not in your heart", from Our Daily Bread December 2006/January 2007/February 2007.  And from the same booklet I read: "Work well done for Christ will receive a `well done' from Christ".  Dr.Phil was just the catalyst who choreographed the gift give away.  When his time comes, I know God will tell Dr.Phil that "his was a job well done". 

But you are right about one thing.  Dr.Phil couldn't give gifts to everyone who deserved one.  We are a country of over 300 million people.  Hopefully other communities took notice of Dr.Phil's good work, and prepares for their own "Gift Give Away" next Christmas, just by following Dr.Phil's good example.  I hope so anyway.  Always keep Christ in Christmas, in all you do.  God will take care of the rest.

Take care, God Bless & Merry Christmas!!!!!!   : )

You've got an interesting idea to put the Dr.Phil Show on YouTube, but I think it would be illegal, a copyright infringement or something like that.  Sorry I couldn't have been of more help.  Another way to see the show, would be to read about it right here on the Dr.Phil website.  Just go to "SHOWS" in the tool bar above, then click on Show Archive.  Look up the December 11, 2006 show and you'll find a slide show of pictures and dialog.  It's pretty accurate and the pictures are amazing.  Good luck, Merry Christmas & God Bless!!!!!

I caught the Christmas Show recently and while I commend Dr. Phil and Robin for their efforts with Toys for Tots, I felt that the whole affair was wholly overblown to the point of being ridiculous with so much merchandise being given away to each and every member of the audience. While I don't begrudge seeing these individuals receive some nice things, the amount of items given away was just over the top. These people all seemed healthy and well-fed, unlike so many starving children in third world countries right now! Oprah used to do these sorts of shows which I didn't think much of as they always seemed to be about 'stuff', but I don't recall seeing such a large scale of items as this show rolled out. Again, not to take anything away from the audience members but I am sure that they too were probably reeling in disbelief after about the 5th item?

What would be refreshing would be to see all of these merchandising companies take the money that would go to buy some of these products they give away and make a donation to Unicef, Amnesty International, Feed the Children or some other worthy cause. Giving to deserving audience members is fine but to give so much away strikes me as being more about cool 'stuff' and the latest this and that to drive Christmas sales than about what Christmas really is supposed to be about -- Peace, family, sharing, love.

My husband and I are not buying each other gifts this year as we were blessed with new home ownership last year (our first) and already feel like we have a lot. Instead, we have given to Salvation Army and will be donating to local Xmas Day Supper groups. We will be opening our home to family, friends and neighbors to come and share in some cheer. My greatest hope this Christmas is that everyone has someone to get together with as nothing can ever replace human spirit and connection. A Merry Christmas to all.

anyone know when they will re-run that epiosde??

the channel and the date

please ...thanks in advance

 When I was watching the show I thought I heard them say the audience of Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims and Service people. Was this right? (Cant remember or not)If so I think Dr.Phil and Robin did a excellent job doing the gift show for them. These people lost EVERYTHING! And should be given a chance to get on their feet. Dr.Phil & Robin did just that.Some was gift cerificates to Walmart and a bunch more stuff (too many to mention). Some of that was very helpfull to those people. They had to start all over again from square one, food, clothes, you name it. I understand that they cant save the world in one day but they started trying, you have to start somewhere.

As I read the board for this topic I see some posters having a bit of hatefulness among them for what Dr. Phil & Robin did. This time of year is SUPPOSED to be a time of love, giving, and good will toward men/women, being with family, and give to those in need . What is wrong with this picture? They tried to do something nice for the victims and Service men/women and they get critcized for it. Shame on you for doing that! Are you that jealous for NOT being in the audience when they gave away all that nice stuff? I was at home crying for all the things they got (happy tears) cause I know they NEEDED the majority of it( like gift certificates for Walmart that they CAN buy food with the gift card, the clothes, some left thier homes with the clothes they ONLY had on their backs). I saw one poster say(type) that they barely can afford rent( at least they have food and a roof over their head for the time being, SOME dont even have that!).

Getting off my soapbox for a bit!

I admire the fact that Dr. Phil and his wife, and affiliates of the show are as gracious as they are.  However if indeed the individuals/families in the audience were effected by Katrina or were plainly in need due to financial issues/hardtimes (or whatever).....then shouldn't they be given more practical gifts? (before I get blasted with replies I know they were given some necessity items--but it was very few items)  Don't get me wrong...I am all for brightening the faces of children and their families and giving them what they want, but not in the excess that Dr. Phil did.  Now I am not sure of the amount of each package that was given away but I would guess it was well over $5000 per person.   

I have never lost my home-through financial issues or natural disastor, but I have been in what I would call dire straights before. Living paycheck to paycheck, never seeing my husband because he worked nights and I worked days (this was in the beginning of our marriage).  And recently I lost my job of 6 1/2 years.  I am currently on unemployment (for a short time).  I have an education and my husband and I now own a business.........but I can guarantee you that we will never have a Christmas like Dr. Phil gave those people. 

And this is not because of money it is because of principal. I want my son to work for what he gets, just like we have had to do.  I see manipulators every day and it makes me sick.  People who will take and take so that they don't have to work.  They don't have jobs because they choose not to, and choose cigarettes over shoes for their kids. 

I am sure Dr. Phil had a great team of experts do background checks and verify info on each and everyone of the audience members for this particular show.  But it still does not sit well with me when I personally have worked my butt off since I was 14 and have chosen never to put myself in such a financial issue that I needed to depend on others for "gifts".  I do not doubt that katrina victims are still dealing with the horrible horrible disastor.  And I believe that they are owed something for their losses.  And I would hope that many of them if not all had some type of insurance. And I would like to think that in the event I was in a natural disastor that there would be help for me too.  But when it is purely a financial situation....I get a little aggravated.

When I read an article stating that $1000's of dollars given to the victims of Katrina (on giftcards) was used for items such as tatoos, booze, and non-neccessity items it made be sick because they were ruining/damaging future help for other victims that may actually use the money wisely.

I just wonder how many of the people from this show sold their items when they received them...so that they could have the cash instead.?

I am sure that more than not were very grateful and needed a boost from the situation they have been living in.  But I can not help but feel bitter about these kinds of shows especially when people should learn how to pull themselves up by their bootstraps like the rest of us have to. 

I truly hope that they all--Including Dr. Phil and his family, had a great Christmas.  I know we did--and this is the first year in 13 that my husband and I did not get material (purchased) gifts.  I just feel like the whole holiday is over commercialized and shows like this just add to my frustration about the holidays.