What I Want For Christmas

Post by Teri @ http://snarkfestblog.blogspot.com/

Since I got married to my hubby almost 18 years ago, I've done every last stitch of Christmas shopping for everyone on both sides. I'd get his parents their gifts, gifts for my mom, I'd get gifts for his nieces and nephews as well as my own, and for his brothers and sister, their families,
my brother, his family, I was the chief cook, bottle washer and present-getter. And in that time, I have usually been the recipient of some pretty mediocre gifts in return. Those of you who know me remember the great 'mailbox' disaster of Christmas '03. What you may not remember is that in addition to the mailbox, I had received a box of goodies from an Aussie friend, which included about a dozen Bounty Bars. They're like Mounds, only better. So on Christmas morning, both my girls looked in my stocking and said "Mommy, Santa didn't fill your stocking!" I rolled my eyes and looked disgustedly at my mailbox. When I turned back I found my stocking full of, oh my God, are those my Bounty Bars??? Yes, 'Santa' had to think fast, so he got the box from my Aussie friend,
took all of those delicious candy bars and shoved them into my stocking. Had I rolled my eyes any harder, they'd be stuck to my spine.

After that fiasco, I decided to take matters into my own hands.


From then on, whatever gifts I receive under my tree on Christmas morning come from the nicest, most thoughtful and generous person I know: ME. That's right. Me. Every year when I do my Christmas shopping for the family, I pick out exactly what I want. Isn't that sweater great? Do you think I would love that for Christmas?? Oh I think so too! So into my cart it goes and then under the tree. I do make the hubby wrap all of those thoughtful, generous gifts I get for Christmas. I don't want him to feel left out of the process. This year he has already gotten me my Sandra Boynton Mom's Calendar and the new Janet Evanovich book, Notorious Nineteen. He was also sweet enough to get me a copy of Jen's book, Spending the
Holidays With People I Want To Punch In The Throat AND he had it personally autographed too! How awesome is that??? What a thoughtful husband I have. It's like he has some psychic sense, knowing exactly what I want and going to the ends of the internet to get it!

Am I the only wife who does this? I can probably count on one hand the total number of times I've been truly surprised during the holidays, so if I'm not going to be surprised AND I'm going to be underwhelmed at the gifts he buys, is it wrong that I buy my own gifts and allow this laziness to go on? I know I'm not going to change him. Men don't change.  NO one changes, it's a fact. You can't MAKE him be more thoughtful, hell you can't even make him PUT thought into things. So why not take matters into your own hands? Is it just me?

It makes for less arguments during the holiday season. My girls and I bake and decorate the house, he carries the boxes up and down from the basement.  I buy the gifts and he gets to eat baked goods and wrap presents that he knows will make me happy. He's an excellent wrapper. To his defense, he has the option of doing the same thing.  He emailed me today telling me there's something he really wants for Christmas, and while I COULD technically get it, it's much easier and more convenient for him to do this, so I gave him the green light to buy it and give it to me to wrap. Seriously, it's a win-win sitch. No one is disappointed (except maybe 15 & 13 when they don't get Harry and Niall from One Direction under the tree on Christmas morning), everyone is pleased with their booty and we get to spend a wonderful holiday season together. Who else does this?