Now that I have 5 weeks of PTO (paid time off for you non-corporate types) I take a week off at Thanksgiving and Christmas. If the holiday falls right I can get like 17 consecutive days between Christmas and New Years and only take like 4 PTO days off...okay, I exaggerate a little, but you know what I mean.
When I was little Christmas was definitely my favorite holiday. Not just the presents but being with all the family, singing Christmas carols, the food, playing with all the cousins...
Unfortunately, now it's just something to dread and "get through." I think that's because everyday is like Christmas for me so when the actual season rolls around I have to put a moratorium on my own spending and buy stuff for other people. I have to start using excuses. Phrases like "It's too close to Christmas" and "You'll just have to wait until Christmas" and "We have to save money for Christmas" start popping out of my mouth and I start to sound just like my mother used to.
Now that I've written that, I realize that sounds terrible. But that's not what I mean...I think.
I love to buy for others. I like to be generous with my money. And I like to be creative with the gifts I give. But now we have all these stupid rules. We draw names. I really hate that. I end up having to buy some distant uncle a present and I can't even buy my own mother-in-law something. And there's a price limit. It's kinda like a Nazi holiday...they tell you who to give to and how much...and you vill like it! Well I DON'T LIKE IT!
Gee...I feel better now.
1 comment:
There, there. It'll ALL be over in about 8 weeks... and then you can start looking forward to NEXT year.
I've been taking the easy way out concerning gift-giving in recent years. As much as I'd love to be considered "thoughtful" and maybe "creative" concerning gifts (hey, it could happen, y'know!), I now lean toward such standards as gift certificates. Especially to restaurants. Especially if I know of one that the recipient really enjoys. In fact, I can buy them online and they're easy (sometimes unnecessary) to wrap. Everybody's happy!
But isn't it a shame that we have to work hard to think of easy ways to satisfy the obligation to give gifts? Kinda defeats the "joy of the season," huh?
John
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