Presentmas is my daughter’s favorite term for Christmas, because at our house it’s always been all about the presents. I’ve trotted out my thoughts on the season on at least a couple of occasions, one addressing the issue of greetings and another addressing the presents/indulgence issue. I hold firmly to those positions.
Only one thing has changed. We don’t seem to be doing many presents this year. And it has absolutely nothing to do with a shortage of funds – we always manage to manage – or with some silly completely out of character decision that presents really aren’t that important. They are. We love them. We love giving them and we love getting them. Sometimes we even love shopping for them. We have had many lovely very present Christmases.
No, the problem we have run into is that, after all these years of giving and getting, we finally have pretty much all of what we need and most of what we want. What to give Trisha? Oh my god, she already has everything. What to ask for? I had to fall back on more fuzzy socks and maybe some chocolate fudge.
I’ve already been to Think Geek, where I did find some fun/useful items, not many but there will be a few things from me under the tree. I’m not allowed in Greg’s study because “Maah-ahm. You can’t come in here now.” So I can assume there will be a little something for me.. I can also assume I’ll be delighted with it. Because they bought it and are keeping it a surprise. That’s something to look forward to.
Now when I tell you that we already have everything, there are lots of things we don't have. First editions, priceless paintings, late-model cars, jewelry with real jewels. And I'm not against those in principle. But I don't need them, I don't really want them, and I have no idea what I would use them for. I'd be too nervous to open the books, even the late-model Jaguars don't look much different from the latest Honda, and I'm always losing jewelry or forgetting that I have it. At least I could look at the pictures, but you can only do that for so long before you really feel like playing a video game. Of which I have more than a few.
We used to fill big stockings with lots of funny jokes, a few small useful things (I gave everybody small spatulas one year), and lots of chocolate (we’ve learned the hard way to open the stockings before lighting the wood stove that sits in the fireplace opening). I suggested that this year we each use just one of our regular socks, preferably clean, filled with oh, I don’t know. Thumb drives of our favorite Facebook cat videos? You see how desperate times are.
I wonder what’s in the back room. I hope it doesn’t have teeth or claws. They shop Think Geek too. The good news is I haven't heard any actual growling.
Presentmas 2010
Presentmas 2015. But it's early yet. Still plenty of time to run amok.