Holidays

We didn't host Thanksgiving this year, which was both fortuitous and unexpected. My cousin cooked for all 17 of us and we had so much fun at her house that I'm already hoping she'll host again next year. Strangely, one of the things to go out the door along with Dave's paycheck has been my desire to cook. I'm usually a Feeder. I think it's genetic because my mother is the same way; if you step foot inside one of our houses, you will have food in your mouth in under two minutes. Seriously, set a clock. My Native American name would be Fills Your Belly.

So it's strange not knowing what to do with myself now that I can't really afford to feed people. My parents were here all weekend and I literally didn't feed them a SINGLE meal. For lunch on Friday, they even went out and brought back McDonald's for all of us and it had been so long since my last cheeseburger that I passed out afterward in a post-coital fast food coma.

Now everyone and their sister is talking about Christmas shopping and well, can I just say MEH? December is usually our biggest spending month.  Every. single. year. Dave and I promise not to go overboard with the kids' presents and every. single. year. by the time we get our triple-sized VISA bill in January, 90% of the crap we bought has already been broken and/or discarded.

I usually have a FIVE PART Christmas budget: DECORATING, FOOD & ENTERTAINING, KIDS, FAMILY & FRIENDS and CARDS. This year we have a single budget: SANTA. That's it kids! If Mommy hates taking money out of savings to pay for the roof over your head, you can just imagine how enthusiastic she is about using it to buy toys.

But the thing is, I'm really looking forward to this Christmas. I have a feeling it'll be our best one yet. We aren't religious at all, but if a healthy dose of poverty gives you anything, it gives you the clarity to see what really matters. That love itself is what's sacred.

That the magnitude of my affection isn't proportional to the size of my VISA bill.

(This year's Christmas clothes were sponsored by Grandma and Grandpa).

Comments

[Lynne]

The kids look cute & I feel your pain

[M]

What no shoes?

Times like these are to teach us the important things like, family and love. Lego & barbies can't by those things.

I also know you're lucky that your parents will be getting your children gifts. You're lucky they're are people who have no one to catch them when they fall.

[taylor]

agreed! i am unemployeed this year. My son wanted one thing this year, a Thomas the Train bike, and so i broke my own rule and went out on black friday and got the bike he wanted for 50% off. I also got him 4 books and thats it! My husband bought his own gift, and i am not getting him anything additional.

and my son's christmas outfit was free - thank you hand-me-downs!

you are sooooo right, LOVE is all that matters and this year is going to be the best christmas EVER.

happy holidays. :)

[Rhi]

I would like to have that little white coat in my size, please. Also, pretty sure Alex's coat is identical to Bill's winter coat.

[alison]

Your parents did good--the kids look adorable. And you are right, the holidays aren't about money, but about being with the ones you love.

[Erin]

I married into a family that not only expects huge! expensive! presents, they actually keep track of who gets what and we get guilt trips (in the form of angry phone calls and e-mails) from the members who don't get the most expensive gift. This year funds are extremely limited so we've put the word out that the only gifts we are giving are gifts of "good cheer and friendly faces."

It's hard not to spoil the kids but maybe you guys could turn it into a game and do a "let's MAKE our gifts this year instead of buying them!" That way the kids can be involved in the process too :) (I'm hoping to do at least a few of those when we have kids)

[bethany actually]

Fills Your Belly. Ha! That's so perfect. You and I would get along juuuuust fine, I think, even though you're a godless heathen. ;-)

I know exactly what you mean about feeling MEH about the whole Christmas shopping experience this year. I think for me it's mainly because Troy is gone. This is the first Christmas in the fifteen years we've been together that we will be apart...which is pretty amazing, since we're a Navy family! But it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me without him. I'm still sending cards and all that (which reminds me, send me your address!) and I put up a tree, but I'm very thankful that we're going to my parents' for two weeks because I think otherwise Annalie would have a rather sad Christmas this year.

I hope you get your very own Christmas miracle of love and joy and family and all that sappy good stuff to make up for the money woes.

p.s. You know I'm teasing about the godless heathen thing, right? Okay, just checking. :-)

[Alias Mother]

I've always been kind of anti-present-hoopla, so it was actually a relief last year when our finances required telling both families that we were buying kid presents, but nothing else and we'd prefer they do the same. No one complained even a bit. I think we're doing it again this year.

And Erin, I'm astounded by your story. They keep track? They berate you if they don't get the "best" present? That alone would make me cut them off. You just made me profoundly grateful for my in-laws.

[Erin]

Yep, they keep track, they berate and then the next year they say "I better not get the crappy present this year." As much as they drive me nuts I kind of appreciate having them because they make everybody else's in-laws look like kittens :)

[Leah Rubin]

Those kids define CUTE! I'm knocked out-- and I'm sure you'll make Christmas wonderful and full of love and the things that matter most.