Saturday, December 26, 2009

What Did You Get?

Usually I had to wait until the next day to call my friends to ask, "What'd you get?" Sometimes we already knew because we were world class snoops. Mind you: for all the gifts I may have "ruined" by snooping as a tween, I made up for by earnestly believing in Santa Claus until 5th grade. I remember some of my friends' best gifts: a duvet (I had never heard of such a thing!), a whole Esprit outfit, skis, a real Cabbage Patch doll, a homemade cabbage patch doll (sorry, dude), a ghetto blaster. Some of my most memorable gifts were: a disco kid record player, a doll with a bed, bath, and infant seat, a corduroy blazer, a puppy that died a few days later, a huge padded cloth box full of doll clothes, a yellow terry cloth robe with red ric rac, and lifesaver books. I love presents! I wouldn't describe myself as shallow or materialistic, but presents make me happy. Here's what I got this year:

  • Last year I got myself my own petite hammer for hammering jobs around the house--of which there are many--that I can never complete because I can never find tools in the garage. To my delight my son Sam has become interested and proficient in fixing his bike and messing around with scooters and skateboards this year. He uses my hammer to do this, but then he lost it. I have been complaining about my lost hammer for months. In a thoughtful move, Sam got me a new hammer for Christmas WHICH HE LOST BEFORE I EVER EVEN SAW IT. I would say it's ironic, but irony is when the opposite of what you expect to happen happens, sort of but not really like rain on your wedding day--which could more accurately be described as "disappointing." I'm disappointed that I didn't get my hammer, but it's the thought that counts. I guess.

  • On Christmas eve I mentioned offhandedly to my husband that I was glad my Moringa bubble bath was almost gone because the smell "makes me totally sick." On Christmas morning he gave me the bubble bath, lotion, body butter, and exfoliant. Bless his heart for being thoughtful and observant, but I'm a complicated woman.
He also got me:
  • Vintage garnet earrings to go with my Paris ring.
  • These salt and pepper shakers!


Maybe I am materialistic because part of what makes me love them is knowing HOW EXPENSIVE they are. Seriously, I love them so much. I stare at them. Salt seems savorier, pepper more peppery. They are so red and glossy. I have an irrational fear of them chipping. More gifts (yes, it was quite a haul!):
  • A bundle of Ben's homemade books: Apples, The Boy and the Beast, and The Boys and the Beast, A Sequel to The Boy and the Beast, and my favorite Christmas favorite, Stupid Olive. An excerpt: "Olive thinks she's a reindeer. Stupid Olive!"
  • The Pioneer Woman Cooks--a signed copy!
  • 3 Beefsticks
  • An almost immeasurable improvement in Frances's behavior.
I got lots of other great stuff and it was really fun. I'm basically just writing this to kill time until my kids will play Beatles Rock Band with me again. It was really interesting to see them humor me and then one by one make up excuses to do something else, leaving me playing the game alone by myself. Embarrassing? Hardly. Now they know how I feel all the time, every day--about all the stuff they want me to do.

11 comments:

  1. I got an iPhone. I'm pretty sure its going to make me a terrible mother. Why pay attention to my kids when I can carry the Internet around in my pocket?

    Sent from my iPhone (YES)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I didn't get anything from Harry - with a Dec. 18th birthday for him and a Dec. 22nd anniversary, gifting in December became a nightmare.

    So we go shopping together and get things we keep saying we want/need.

    Today we are going shopping for a new mirror for the bathroom. Maybe I can even get the kind I want - getting home furnishings of your choice is tough when your husband is a contractor. He tells you how badly made/overpriced/won't work everything is!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. this year sorta sucked in the wallet department, so hub and I didnt exchange gifts. Not even the surprise ones you do when you say you wont exchange, but you end up doing it anyway.
    I did get a new Pampered Chef pan set from my parents, which I needed. And I spent the money from my inlaws on the kids stockings.
    Being an adult really bites sometimes. Im pretending my daughters Legos are really mine. Next year will be better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hah! My kids are completely amazed at my Rock Band skills. I - um - SUCK on the guitar. I am unstoppable on the drums, and I am breath stealing on vocals.

    Of course - that's just doing warm ups on Easy setting. I'll come over, and we can play together!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was going to say that a homemade Cabbage Patch Kid was the worst present ever, until I got to the part about the DEAD PUPPY.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I always wanted a Snoopy snow cone machine, but that's just because I never thought about asking for a red vintage garnet ring. I've still never received the snow cone machine. I'd like to say I'm over it, but I think we all know better.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I will come play Beatles Rock Band with you.


    I got a haul: a new iPod! A new camera! Firefly on DVD! And more! I am really excited now! I am shallow, materialistic, and it suits me!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Paying more for quality products really does make a difference! I love our Peugeot s&p grinders. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. What did I get? I got an entertaining post from a great writer . . .

    ReplyDelete
  10. How funny about the bath stuff!

    I love your salt and pepper shakers. I got a camera case to go with the camera I got for my birthday last month.

    ReplyDelete
  11. When I was in 7th grade, I snooped a fab pink and gray swatch watch in my Mom's closet. That she forgot to give me on Christmas. I had to wait two weeks for her to find it. Two weeks is a long time when you are twelve.

    I'd totally play Beatles rock band with you. And I might win.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...