Charlyn’s Web

Or is the Col.’s Grinchiness finally rubbing off?

I used to love Christmas…. before I married Col. Grinch.

I am trying to be organized and get ideas (at least) for the kids’ Christmas presents. Now, don’t anyone go telling me they are all through, finished, done with the lot. I will seriously roll my eyes at you. Feel threatened? Really, I think I am doing well to even be thinking about it. As Col. Grinch says- “why worry about it now, when you can really feel the stress on Dec. 24th?” See!?!?!

So I go a browsing on line and through catalogs for ideas. Might even go hog wild and buy something. That’s when I hit the brick wall. I want to get my kids a few nice things that they will enjoy. Not tons of junk that will sit in a corner. Not so much ‘stuff’ that their eyes glaze over with gluttony on Christmas morning. Just a few well chosen gifts.

But what do I find out there? Toys based on TV shows or movies- which we seldom watch and which my kids don’t seem too interested in outside of the show. Noisy toys intended to drive Parents insane. I feel like the Grinch now saying “noise, Noise, NOISE!” Why must all toys require batteries and make annoying sounds? Since we are a nation of wealth and personally, we accumulate things; we have already have much of what is being offered. Cooking things, dolls, stuffed animals, cars, airplanes, Legos and Gears. How much more of that… stuff do we need? Need, of course, not really being the word to use because we don’t need any of it.

My Dad, one of eight children, who grew up in the 30’s says they would get one pair of mittens each or a sled to share between them. They were happy. Some of his fondest memories was of the things Grandma baked at Christmas. To this day he gets terribly grumpy if he doesn’t get Christmas goodies. I think he associates it with love and the joy of Christmas. What will my kids associate with Christmas when they are in their 70s?

Now, we feel guilty somehow if the Tree is not almost covered with presents. We have some friends, whose children are young adults now, who commented to us when HP was a little guy that they wished they hadn’t gone so over board with Christmas presents when their kids were young. Then, when they wished to de-emphasis the presents and glorify the True Gift of the Season; they were finding it hard to do. How many gifts is too many? I found this lady who says they give four gifts each year. One for what the child wants. One for what they need. One that is practical. And one that is Spiritual. I have been mulling that around. My Mom is the Queen of being “fair”- which usually means trying to get the same number of presents and spend the same on everyone. Man, that takes a lot of energy!

But I am still stuck for ideas. I think I want the kids to be thrilled with what they get and therefore put more pressure on myself then need be. At this age, they are happy often with opening presents and having new things- no matter what it is. That will change as we age.

I am sure I will find something for everyone. Eventually. Hopefully before Dec. 24th. I will bake, decorate and wrap. Dragging my Grinch along with me because I am a glutton for punishment. Or it could be because I love the Old Devil.

I was intending to go on a rant about the toys offered out there and how so many just seem unattractive. And of course, made in China- that Eviiil place. But somehow it ended up being more of a commentary about Christmas presents in general. What are your thoughts about presents and Christmas? Just call me the Wife of Grinch.

Maybe I should dye my hair green.