The Pressures of Christmas
Yes, it's that time of the year again. The time when one question begins repeating itself maddeningly in your head:
What the hell am I going to get everybody for Christmas? And how the hell am I going to pay for it?
Yes, a lot of hells, and a lot of pressure.
I don't know about you, but I'm having some major present dilemmas right about now.
You may think I'm all a bit nuts (and you may be right)...but being nuts doesn't let me escape this present thing (at least, not this year).
But you may all think I'm nuts because I'm already thinking of Christmas gifts. But we work on a fortnightly pay (no, I'm not on the dole! Not yet, anyway...and not that there's anything wrong with that! And, hell - yes, another hell on this Christmas post - I bring so little dough into this family, I may as well be on the dole. I'd earn more).
So, working on the fortnightly pay assumption (or reality), that leaves us 3 more pays till Christmas.
In other words - I'm freaking out!
Help! What do I buy everybody? And, more importantly, am I going to have to hang out down on the street corner sometime soon to pay for it all?
But in the way of purchases (not prostitution), there's firstly my grandparents on my dad's side. I think each and every year I've bought them a bottle of wine each - pink champagne for my Nanna (who discovered a love for the stuff at my wedding), and a bottle of white wine for Grandpa.
Perhaps a CD for Grandpa as well, since he loves music, and something trinkety or perfumy for Nanna.
I can't help but feel, however, that they may have bets on what I'm buying them this year. You know, Grandpa turns to Nanna and says, 'Bet you a glass of sherry she buys you pink champagne and me white wine.'
To which Nanna replies, 'I'll take your bet, and raise it to 2 glasses of sherry...and bet you the same thing.'
Nanna's not much of a gambler.
Then they sit there, together, like old couples do, drinking their glasses of sherry in complete accord, with Frank Sinatra on the turntable in the background.
Even this scenario aside, how much can my 80 year old grandparents drink?
A lot, apparantly. Seems like this is the gift to give them. They do love the old tipple.
And why not, when you've lived your life to this ripe old age, raised four boys, seen great-grandchildren, been to war (both of them - Grandpa as a British Royal Marine in the Pacific, and Nanna as a nurse)...
Hell, I'd be drunk too, if I'd lived and experienced all of this. Actually, I have quite modest plans for my own retirement (once I've achieved all those fabulous successes and material possessions, that is)...they really only involve me being permantly pissed in Hawaii...
Or drinking champagne while I make a home sitting in front of the slot machines in Vegas.
Either dream. Either one will do.
But I digress (which is really the most fun when posting)...back to the present saga.
I would give my grandparents some beautiful framed pictures of their great-grandchild, but they recently gave me their entire photo collection, including all the albums of their sons (my dad and his brothers), so I cannot help feeling if I gave them this, I would only see these photos back in my house one day.
And as if I don't have enough photographs of my daughter! I could open a photographic studio, as it is.
Then there's my father. He's an avid DVD watcher, so that seems to be a fairly safe option. You'd think so, but it's not, thanks to one bad DVD choice on my part once. Now I have trouble choosing a DVD for my dear dad.
I'm like Bart, with the cupcake, slowly reaching out for the treat in extreme fear of being zapped.
Instead, I'm in Target, a screaming 2 year old tipping herself out of her pram, and I'm reaching out for a DVD, in extreme fear of picking the wrong one.
And what is wrong with Speed 2 anyway? Seemed like a movie my father would like.
Apparantly not, as I've never been given the grace to live down that particular DVD choice.
Then there's my sister, who has everything, and her husband. Just clueless there (on what to give them, not them in actuality!)
My stepmum. Whew. There's a whole post there, dedicated to 'What to buy Cruz?' May just post that one...
But I have no bloody idea what to buy her. Over the years there's been chocolate, lovely pink handbags, giant teddy bears, Gold Class movie tickets, perfume...
At least Husband and Miss Toddler are easy to buy for. Are they ever! Sometimes I wonder who is more easily satisfied.
Probably Husband. You could give him an empty box and he'd play with it for hours.
Perhaps that's because he's seriously present-starved. He is one of those unfortunate people I've mentioned in a previous post (November, November...) that is cursed with being born near Christmas. His birthday is either forgotten (hey, I've already admitted on this site what a bad wife I am) or it's lumped in with Christmas.
He's hanging out for a Playstation this year (doesn't he know Playstation 2's are like sooo the year 2000?). I, as the bill payer, grocery buyer, loan repayer, magazine purchaser, feel extremely bad that he works 45 hours a week, travels by public transport another 20 hours (or more! Good on you, Brisbane Transport), keeps the roof over our heads, puts food on the table, and then gets absolutely nothing out of his pay just for him.
He deserves this Playstation. He's earned it.
I just don't see how he's going to get it, not at this bill-sucking-up rate we've got going on here, unless it's fallen off some truck...
Or some poor kid's had their mother sell theirs to Cash Convertors (note to self: check out Cash Convertors)...
Either way, the pressure is all too much.
But there's nothing like seeing the look on my daughter's face at all the Christmas decorations. This year is the first year she's taking it all in, and knows who Santa is (yes, somehow she's figured out Santa is some fat red man who leaves behind presents and has lots of horsies. Where do they come up with this stuff?).
Now is the time for us to develop some family traditions, make Christmas exciting and fun and magic (not just stressful, soul-wearying and painful).
After all, Christmas is ultimately about love and family, and being with your loved ones (see, I came up with that all on my own, without religion! Us non-religious types aren't so bad after all, are we? Perhaps nobody should respond to that).
Now, I'd better figure out how to make some eggnog and string some popcorn (they make it look so good in the movies, after all).
I can't wait to have a glass of wine with my grandparents.
See the look on my father's face at my DVD choice.
Steal that Playstation for my Husband.
Oh, and leave Fat Red Man and his horsies some milk and cookies.
Perhaps Santa would appreciate a glass of pink champagne and chocolate instead!
What the hell am I going to get everybody for Christmas? And how the hell am I going to pay for it?
Yes, a lot of hells, and a lot of pressure.
I don't know about you, but I'm having some major present dilemmas right about now.
You may think I'm all a bit nuts (and you may be right)...but being nuts doesn't let me escape this present thing (at least, not this year).
But you may all think I'm nuts because I'm already thinking of Christmas gifts. But we work on a fortnightly pay (no, I'm not on the dole! Not yet, anyway...and not that there's anything wrong with that! And, hell - yes, another hell on this Christmas post - I bring so little dough into this family, I may as well be on the dole. I'd earn more).
So, working on the fortnightly pay assumption (or reality), that leaves us 3 more pays till Christmas.
In other words - I'm freaking out!
Help! What do I buy everybody? And, more importantly, am I going to have to hang out down on the street corner sometime soon to pay for it all?
But in the way of purchases (not prostitution), there's firstly my grandparents on my dad's side. I think each and every year I've bought them a bottle of wine each - pink champagne for my Nanna (who discovered a love for the stuff at my wedding), and a bottle of white wine for Grandpa.
Perhaps a CD for Grandpa as well, since he loves music, and something trinkety or perfumy for Nanna.
I can't help but feel, however, that they may have bets on what I'm buying them this year. You know, Grandpa turns to Nanna and says, 'Bet you a glass of sherry she buys you pink champagne and me white wine.'
To which Nanna replies, 'I'll take your bet, and raise it to 2 glasses of sherry...and bet you the same thing.'
Nanna's not much of a gambler.
Then they sit there, together, like old couples do, drinking their glasses of sherry in complete accord, with Frank Sinatra on the turntable in the background.
Even this scenario aside, how much can my 80 year old grandparents drink?
A lot, apparantly. Seems like this is the gift to give them. They do love the old tipple.
And why not, when you've lived your life to this ripe old age, raised four boys, seen great-grandchildren, been to war (both of them - Grandpa as a British Royal Marine in the Pacific, and Nanna as a nurse)...
Hell, I'd be drunk too, if I'd lived and experienced all of this. Actually, I have quite modest plans for my own retirement (once I've achieved all those fabulous successes and material possessions, that is)...they really only involve me being permantly pissed in Hawaii...
Or drinking champagne while I make a home sitting in front of the slot machines in Vegas.
Either dream. Either one will do.
But I digress (which is really the most fun when posting)...back to the present saga.
I would give my grandparents some beautiful framed pictures of their great-grandchild, but they recently gave me their entire photo collection, including all the albums of their sons (my dad and his brothers), so I cannot help feeling if I gave them this, I would only see these photos back in my house one day.
And as if I don't have enough photographs of my daughter! I could open a photographic studio, as it is.
Then there's my father. He's an avid DVD watcher, so that seems to be a fairly safe option. You'd think so, but it's not, thanks to one bad DVD choice on my part once. Now I have trouble choosing a DVD for my dear dad.
I'm like Bart, with the cupcake, slowly reaching out for the treat in extreme fear of being zapped.
Instead, I'm in Target, a screaming 2 year old tipping herself out of her pram, and I'm reaching out for a DVD, in extreme fear of picking the wrong one.
And what is wrong with Speed 2 anyway? Seemed like a movie my father would like.
Apparantly not, as I've never been given the grace to live down that particular DVD choice.
Then there's my sister, who has everything, and her husband. Just clueless there (on what to give them, not them in actuality!)
My stepmum. Whew. There's a whole post there, dedicated to 'What to buy Cruz?' May just post that one...
But I have no bloody idea what to buy her. Over the years there's been chocolate, lovely pink handbags, giant teddy bears, Gold Class movie tickets, perfume...
At least Husband and Miss Toddler are easy to buy for. Are they ever! Sometimes I wonder who is more easily satisfied.
Probably Husband. You could give him an empty box and he'd play with it for hours.
Perhaps that's because he's seriously present-starved. He is one of those unfortunate people I've mentioned in a previous post (November, November...) that is cursed with being born near Christmas. His birthday is either forgotten (hey, I've already admitted on this site what a bad wife I am) or it's lumped in with Christmas.
He's hanging out for a Playstation this year (doesn't he know Playstation 2's are like sooo the year 2000?). I, as the bill payer, grocery buyer, loan repayer, magazine purchaser, feel extremely bad that he works 45 hours a week, travels by public transport another 20 hours (or more! Good on you, Brisbane Transport), keeps the roof over our heads, puts food on the table, and then gets absolutely nothing out of his pay just for him.
He deserves this Playstation. He's earned it.
I just don't see how he's going to get it, not at this bill-sucking-up rate we've got going on here, unless it's fallen off some truck...
Or some poor kid's had their mother sell theirs to Cash Convertors (note to self: check out Cash Convertors)...
Either way, the pressure is all too much.
But there's nothing like seeing the look on my daughter's face at all the Christmas decorations. This year is the first year she's taking it all in, and knows who Santa is (yes, somehow she's figured out Santa is some fat red man who leaves behind presents and has lots of horsies. Where do they come up with this stuff?).
Now is the time for us to develop some family traditions, make Christmas exciting and fun and magic (not just stressful, soul-wearying and painful).
After all, Christmas is ultimately about love and family, and being with your loved ones (see, I came up with that all on my own, without religion! Us non-religious types aren't so bad after all, are we? Perhaps nobody should respond to that).
Now, I'd better figure out how to make some eggnog and string some popcorn (they make it look so good in the movies, after all).
I can't wait to have a glass of wine with my grandparents.
See the look on my father's face at my DVD choice.
Steal that Playstation for my Husband.
Oh, and leave Fat Red Man and his horsies some milk and cookies.
Perhaps Santa would appreciate a glass of pink champagne and chocolate instead!
You don't care about your friends I assume.
I am the same.
Federline for president
V8 Supercar Pitstop
I dread the pressie buying at Christmas. Not including my two there's another 9 children in our family ranging in age from mid-teens to around four (I think). Then there's all the parents of the children (our brothers and sisters) and mine and my blokes parents.
Sometimes I think that buying for my two is the most difficult of all.
A couple of years ago we decided to set up one of those high interest bank accounts and save a little each week especially for Christmas. Thank God we did ... costs us a bloody fortune!
I will happily admit, though ... I love Christmas. December comes and I put the Christmas CD on the stereo and sing along at the top of my voice. I love putting up the tree and planning what I'm going to make for Christmas lunch. And I love wrapping the pressies.
But most of all, I love the look on my childrens' faces when they open their pressies ... priceless.
A.H.
P.S. "You could give him an empty box and he'd play with it for hours." Oh, K.L., I love that line!
Motherhood
To Federline,
There's no mention of my friends, cause I have no friends!!
K.L.
Motherhood
To A.H.
Yes, I must admit, despite my moaning, I do love Christmas. Especially once you have kids (or kid), it becomes that much more magical.
I can't believe there's 9 children in the family!! Goodness!!!
We're lucky my bubba is the first in this generation...so she just gets overloaded with gifts, while we just have to buy the adults pressies! Is great!
I can see you loving Christmas, and singing all through December! Classic!
And, yes, the children opening the presents is the best bit...Christmas is for them, isn't it??
And a lovely excuse to drink all the pink champagne you want (whoops, sorry. Not supposed to mention alcohol to you. You'll be sniffing people's glasses soon....or more so!)!
K.L.
P.S. As to that line....glad you loved it! Sometimes the truth really is funny!!
Did you push them away?
V8 Supercar Pitstop
The alcohol sniffing has already started but I might just treat myself to a small glass on Christmas day. Maybe you can enjoy a glass or two for me.
My birthday is a few days before Christmas so I'll sing extra loud on that day! Might have to get the neighbours some ear plugs!
A.H.
Motherhood
To Federline,
Maybe...I guess I'm just sick of putting up with other people's abuse, and them throwing their shit on me!
I'm starting to think people take advantage of how much I latch onto them, and truly love them, and support them...and they take that support, and tread all over me.
Time for this Romantic Writer to take a stand!
And have no friends...
K.L.
Motherhood
A.H.
I will now make it my life's mission to drink some champagne for you (like I needed more of an excuse to drink the stuff!).
Yes, one glass will not hurt you (or the baby). I've got a friend (okay, I do have some friends) who while pregnant drank 2 glasses of wine a day! On doctor's orders!
Cause she had restless legs...and it's funny, this baby is now 9 years old, and is beautiful and funny and outgoing and raucous (can I describe a kid as raucous??), while her other child, who was the first, and so she didn't eat or drink anything bad in her pregnancy, is very proper and shy and a bit inhibited!
Funny stuff!
Geez, I really am starting to sound like some kind of pisshead...I'd like to actually state now that I have not had any alcohol whatsoever in 3 weeks...and even then, I've been going light on the stuff for awhile now (you'd know why, A.H...trying for another baby, you see).
There. I've stated my case...now whether anyone will believe me, since I think all my posts feature some reference to pink champagne.
K.L.
Motherhood
Oh, except for that night I got wildly drunk (when I fell off my bicycle) and watched Grey's Anatomy and posted drunken messages on this site...
Other than that....
Haven't had a drink!
K.L.
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Good luck with the baby thing ... it's fun trying, isn't it!
I had a couple of glasses of wine the night this one was conceived, I'm sure that helped. It did ... really and truly it did.
Now I hope you haven't forgotten about our party ... just won't be the same celebrating publish-dom without alcohol for either of us, will it! (I still wish you all the luck in the world for your baby-making endeavour, though).
Have a great weekend.
A.H.
Motherhood
To A.H.
Of course I haven't forgotten our publishing party...
We'll either have new babies with us...be still pregnant, and thus unable to drink...or be pissing up!
Any of those scenarios sound devine!!
Well, having more children sounds more devine, but anyway...
Enjoy your weekend....try to get some rest (not that I think you will, with 2 other little darlings)...
K.L.
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Just enjoy it! AND
"think pink and you'll fly through the day!"
katyzzz
Motherhood
Hi Katyzzz,
How do you know my motto? Am I that transparent??
I will enjoy every moment...
I hope you do, too...
I'm so excited....I just can't wait these 6 weeks till Christmas!! Although, like I've said in my post, it's lucky there is still 6 weeks till the big day!
K.L.