Today was my day to get the bulk of the Christmas shopping done. I got a babysitter for the girls and went out to face the madness alone, which is really the best way to do it anyway. I enjoyed my time at the Badger Mt. Craft fair and found some really cute things. Then it was onto THE MALL. I went there for the sole purpose of buying Justin a new cell phone. Come to find out, I am not authorized on our plan to upgrade his phone. WHAT!?! Ahhh, so much for that surprise. After a couple of trips in and out of the mall to get things out of the car and get things figured out, I decided that I will just come back later with Justin to get the phone, since now he knows about it anyway.
Entering the mall for the third time in one day, I start to remember why I hate going to the mall during this time of year...or any store for that matter. Every year I struggle with trying to figure out how I feel about all this "commercialism" or whatever you want to call it. I feel bugged that I want to get my children several things for Christmas, but find that the more presents I buy, the more empty I feel. I start to feel like I am just buying stuff, just to buy stuff. To make sure they have "enough" presents under the tree. I enjoy giving gifts to others. I just feel that they should be more heartfelt and not just "things". I mean, is getting my 3 year old a bed skirt very special? Not really. I also have a hard time when others ask me what I want for Christmas. I'm grown up now. I feel awkward saying: "oh, I'd really like this", or "how bout that". I guess I feel kind of greedy or something. Such a weird, frustrating, confusing thing I go through every year. I guess it is just one of those areas where I haven't quite figured myself out yet.
And you just gotta love when some punk takes down a senior citizen security guard at the mall...yeah...THAT'S THE SPIRIT!
4 comments:
This year, Matt and I decided not to buy anything for each other for Christmas. The girls are getting a few things, but I just felt like I was trying to come up with something for Matt to buy, he felt the same way. Instead, the money we would have spent on ourselves is going to be used to buy extra gifts for the tree of sharing and to a family that all the extened Kunz family have 'adopted' this Christmas. We will fill stockings this year, but thats about it.
I love Christmas, but I love being able to give more than getting something.
I wanna hear more about the punk taking down the security guard!?! That's crazy. There's gotta be a story there.
I know how ya feel.... I feel the same way when we have to spend Christmas with my in-laws. My MIL makes sure that everyone gets an equal amount of presents that cost an equal amount of money. So it's this torturous game of her keeping track of presents. So materialistic. Nothing has the right FEELING attached. And they give TONS of presents... you leave feeling like you just robbed Kmart.
One way I feel better about giving presents is to do personalized ones - like photo calendars, homemade gifts, etc. Lots of websites have great ideas - shutterfly, snapfish, artscow... then I feel like I'm doing something more special. I hate giving giftcards the most. It just seems like the easy way out. I'd rather buy a gift at the place and include a gift receipt. Just my opinion.
And something else to make this comment even loooonnnngggerrr: my sister-in-law was "in charge" of Brian and I for Christmas this year (they rotate siblings). So she kept asking what we wanted. I gave her the usual answers, "oh, whatever you want to give - we like everything" but she wanted specifics. So I spent an hour one afternoon going through amazon.com and making a huge list of everything we could ever possibly want. I emailed a list of over 100 items we "want." She was a little dumbfounded :)
I'd love to know what kind of cell phone you get Justin. We're due for a new one, and there's just too many options out there.
Haven't I taught you that you need to ask for what you want. How is anyone suppose to know what you like, want, or need. You may not get what you want, but if you don't ask, you surley will not get it. LOL
I hear ya on the not wanting to ask for anything...I feel selfish when I ask for things too. Jeff and I usually buy three or four inexpensive things for the boys and buy one gift for the "house-family" that we wouldn't just go out and buy at another time of the year.
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