What do I want for Christmas this year
Posted: Monday, December 05, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
I get a kick out of that question. For one thing, I’ve got everything I could possibly want or need from a personal perspective so the question becomes, “What do I want to replace with something new?” Well you get my point.
Actually, I’m happy with my stuff. I’m even happier with my animals. And I’m happiest with my family. I need for nothing, want very little and am sated and comfortable with my life. Now if you could bring me something substantial such as a trip to the Fountain of Youth – well, I’ll be reasonable – how about a few years shaved off my years? Can’t do it? Darn. Didn’t think so; thought I’d mention it anyway.
Other than that, I like to see to it that the family and those to whom I choose to give gifts or surprises love everything. It used to be that I’d head out as early as August and start squirleing away goodies that I knew they’d like. By Christmas I would have quite a stash of presents. Way over the top! It got to be too much of a good thing.
These days I limit my expenditures and keep the planned budget. I adhere to it with strict attention. What makes this so much easier is that I set out x-number of dollars for everyone on my Christmas list. I’ve done this for several years and it has worked very well. Now that the grandchildren are older, they all prefer to get gift cards or cash. At first I balked but, you know, it makes a whole lot of sense. When all is said and done, it is not my sensibilities that matter. It’s what makes people happy. Life is too complex to get their presents just right. Either they already have the items or they don’t like what you get them. Clothes are not even a consideration because each has his or her own taste. For the life of me, I’m no longer getting it right.
The adults are even tougher to gift with presents. They’ve got everything they want or could possibly need. I’ve started to run out of ideas for big surprise travels or gifts. I’m not a fan of wish lists because my adult kids don’t ask for anything big or expensive.
So, basically, I am getting “old lady” about the whole deal. I’ve been fine up until this year, always coming up with something totally inventive, clever and special.
This year, however, I’m stumped. Seriously – I’m stumped. I don’t want to do just the gift card bit – it has to be something special, great in fact. I’m having gift-giving slump. It’s sort of like my writer’s slump of several weeks ago.I thought of giving to a charity in their name. Buying a brick in their memory at a hospital. I am considering having a bench installed at Tower Hill Conservatory or something along those lines. My guess is that I’ll agitate over this for another week and, hopefully, the light will pop in my head and the ideas will kick in. I’ve got it – perhaps a Calgon moment will loosen things up.
As you can tell by the way this article is going, I’m not writing about world peace or feeding the world. My heavens, I’d love nothing more than if cures were found for prostate, breast and other cancers, or a miracle cure could be helped by more donations to the Heart Association. In that regard, I have more wishes than I can handle and would be hard pressed to decide on one or several of them. But I am trying to be realistic – I give where I can, we adopt a family for the holidays and participate in various charities and fund raisers within our means.
When it comes to world peace, I will exercise my vote, again, as I am inclined and self-educated about the candidates. Where I can help, I will. There’s just so little that can be done. So I live a good life, set a good example and offer that lifestyle as my form of mentoring the younger members of our family and their friends and others. I feel in that way, I can contribute. My thought is that one person does a good deed, another likes the example and follows, and yet another person picks up on it until many people are involved. One small step grows and grows.
I know we are going to have a fabulous Christmas. We always do. Getting together, going to church, singing carols, having a plentiful seafood dinner and just spending time with loved ones is what really counts to me.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her Blog sites.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Every year my family cuts down a little bit more on gifts, which I think is great! I also gave in to giving the grandchildren money or a gift card. It is so much easier - you don't have to worry if it is what they really want or not.
Sounds like you do quite a bit of charity work and really have the Christmas spirit. I admire you so much. I know you will have a great Christmas!My kids are the real charity people. I go along. We try. I personally think the gift cards are the best thing going. No exchanges, no wrong sizes, and the rest of the drill. I've always taught my two kids and have tried for the grandkids to teach them thank yous are the norm even though you may not like the particular present. They also don't tear into their gifts. If the box is beautifully wrapped, then at least notice and admire before ripping it apart. Actually, when I kept at the scrapbooks, I'd always save out the paper and cards to add into the book so everyone now takes their time. Christmas opening takes forever in our house because we all watch each other. It gets a little harder but we find inventive ways to give the gift card. Guess that's part f the present. Love that you're back. You have a great Christmas too.
Hi Heidi.
Don't laugh, but I'm buying a friend a new muck bucket for Christmas. I've a small gift for her and her daughter, but most of what will go into the bucket will be horse, dog, cat and pig treats! :)
Anyway, it sounds to me like you have it figured out just fine!
Hugs,
DianneI wouldn't laugh about the muck bucket. That's a great idea. Then put the other gifts inside. Couldn't ask for a better "wrapper". Thanks for reading. Hugs back.
Your Christmas does sound fabulous. It is difficult to buy for people who 'have everything' and whether we realize it or not, most of us fall into that category. Great article Heidi. Merry Christmas to you and yours.Howdy Brianna. We've always had remarkable Christmases. With us it's all about family. Guess that's because we don't have many people and it's easy to make it all about us and close folks. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones too.
Heidi, though I appreciate that you ranted and raved about what it is you do and the fact that money is no object to you, More so I would like to offer for one of your wishes to come true. You wrote "how about a few years shaved off my years? " I can offer you the guidance to do just that. No Gimmicks.
It is wonderful to know that there are actually people who want for NOTHING!Thanks for reading and for your comments.
There are some of us around that are comfortable with who we are and what we have. Took me a while to get there.This is one of the best things for me to read, that you are comfortable in your own skin! Yeah! And I really can help you shave years off. You might be surprised. Much love and bright blessings to you.Thank you. Anything that'll shave years off is interesting.I don't know how to contact you off the article pages.
I hope you are doing well, and will have a wonderful Christmas. My husband has been in hospital all week, just got home last night, so I'm way behind in reading and writing. Blessings to you....loved the article.Thanks, friend, for taking a read and commenting. Sorry to hear about your husband's illness. Hopefully, he is doing so much better now that he's home. I think being home is always part of getting better, faster.
I have been swamped. But now it's basically too close to Christmas for shipping anything so I should be getting some time again. As you well know, I am severely behind in both reading and writing.
Have a terrific Christmas with hubby and loved ones. In case I don't have the chance to touch base again, have a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Wish that I had you wrapped as a present under the tree!
A Happy Holy day!
affection,
PaulThat really is one of the nicest things anyone has said to me in quite a while! Thanks for being such a good guy!
Hope you have a grand Christmas and hope to talk to you again before 2012. If I don't get back on for a bit longer, here's wishing you prosperity and the best health going into the New Year and for a long long time to come.
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