It’s all about the power of the almighty dollar. Meredith Katz says that from From the Boston Tea Party to the Don’t Buy Where You Can’t Work, consumers have long known that. What companies are you avoiding this year? Who’s getting your hard-earned money instead? And: These days almost all toys are Made in China. But that wasn’t always the case. Susan Fernsebner says that most Chinese toys were made in America. So the Chinese government incentivized creating toys that reflected its own national identity.

Later in the show: For months, companies and experts have been suggesting that we hurry up and buy our Christmas gifts. It’s almost judgement day... will they arrive in time? Erika Marsillac says that while it may be tempting to blame this on COVID-19, the reality is that we import almost everything and it’s adding up. Plus: Stefan Duma spent the 1990s through the early aughts researching how to prevent face and eye injuries in the military. After publishing his findings, he started getting calls from popular toy companies to test their products.