Christmas Shopping

-
It's been quite a few years now since I've worried much about the gifts that we hand out around here.

A friend of mine with a young son posted a photo of what his boy wanted for Christmas:

Transformers and Power Rangers.

Those were the days when I was fully engaged.

I'd help Kathy search out the toys that the kids wanted because I was deathly afraid of what might happen if they didn't get them.

I hated the tantrums.

I remember the year when it was all about Godzilla and the new Godzilla movie that was coming out. The Cartoon Network was promoting that thing heavily, and you can look up this information, but do you know when they finally released it?

December 26.

Yeah, I had to have a long, drawn-out debate about why it wasn't under the tree when it was supposed to be.

I blamed it on Santa, that fat, lazy bastard.

Yet it all feels weird to me now.

Kathy does all the shopping - most of it in an epic two or three day event right after Thanksgiving.

God Bless her.

Nothing I hate more than meeting total strangers in a commerce situation.

I never know what I'm getting.

I know less about what she's getting.

And the kids?

There's no more mystery there either.

What they want is pretty much laid out for everyone to see.

Is there something lost there?

I suppose.

Yet it seems to take away a lot of the general angst about the gift-giving process. We sort of know the score and with a lot of the chasing-crap-around gone early...we just sort of sit back and get ready for the days.

And we enjoy it more.

Now there may certainly be surprises.

Little tokens that are meant to get a reaction. I'm sure that I'll look around a bit and see if I can find something special, but I'm certainly not going to be running into any malls or standing in any lines.

And if I don't come up with anything it really won't matter because we have a handle on the important parts of the season...

...and besides I can always blame Santa.

...that fat, lazy bastard.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Buddy, Dave

-
Way back in 1997, I started working with a steel erection company out of Syracuse. I was coming straight from a long stint with a steel erector here in Buffalo so I knew my stuff when it came to steel erection safety rules. On day one, I met with the safety director and he was just getting started as a safety guy, but man, he certainly cared about the guys he worked with. Dave was a good man from the start. He’d say things like: “You’re so full of beans.” Just a down to earth, hardworking guy who became a fast friend. We drove all around New York State setting up jobs. I always let Dave drive so that I could rest. One fine day, way up North of Syracuse, we passed a state trooper.  I glanced at the speedometer. “You’re screwed,” I said, and seconds later, the lights came on. Dave was beside himself.  The cop stopped by the window, grabbed the license and registration and headed back to his vehicle. “Here’s the thing,” I said. “You’re pissed, but you’re such a good guy that I be...
Read more

Mom & Ollie

-
Image
 Ollie Stadium is a mess. The heavy rains rendered the backyard a mud pit and even though we threw in the side yard, the Big O was looking for more, and we were both covered in mud. I had to take some steam out of him somehow so I suggested we go visit Grandma. Ollie hates the car, but he laid quietly as we made the trip. We even brought the football because there is plenty of room to play at Grandma’s. Mom opened the door and started laughing. I thought about the love she had for every single dog we ever had. Oliver was quick to give my Mom a kiss, and then he stood beside her. The love between Mom and Dogs is a mutual bond. Through the years, Mom would make breakfast for the dogs.  Fried eggs, toast, bacon… She would wrap Christmas gifts for them. “To Jeter, Love Santa,” she would write on the cards. They played with the big chicken that made a lot of noise. Mom tossed the football and Ollie brought it back to her. As the visit drew to a close I headed for the door.  “C...
Read more

Eyes on the Horizon

-
Image
My sister’s book is out there! Go get it!! It makes me so proud to see the book on Amazon, knowing that it’s very, very great! It’s been a long, long time since we were out in California, brainstorming my stories long before they were published. Carrie Lynn was writing, writing and writing some more through the years and I kept telling her… …”Go for it!” Well, she did!  To amazing results. Of course I was able to read the book as it was being put together, but I ordered a copy from Amazon yesterday and can’t wait to read it again. The shoe is on the other foot now as I have been sitting on a lot of my writing lately. I plan on getting it out there before the end of 2024, but for now: Carrie takes center stage! And it’s so great… …go get a copy!
Read more