This was our first Christmas in our new house and living near family. My absolute favorite part of Christmas was being able to see and spend time with my whole family. Because of the way Christmas fell on a Tuesday we kept pretty busy in the days leading up to the holiday. Saturday we went to a party at my aunt's house. Sunday we traveled to Pat's family for another party. Monday we went to my sister's place for a small Christmas eve get together. And finally on Christmas day we were at my Mom and Brother's for Christmas dinner.
Being able to spend all that time with the family was amazing, but there were some bumps along the Christmas road. And I guess you could say I learned lessons for next year.
1. The biggest lesson Pat and I learned this season is that we have to be WAY more organized when it comes to hiding presents. Ryan saw two of the big toys in the garage, and I literally had a nervous breakdown that we had ruined Santa for him. We worked it out by taking the toys back (not really) and writing Santa a letter. Thankfully Santa pulled through and brought those toys back. But I was feeling like the biggest parent failure for a while in there.
2. I want to finish all my shopping early next year. And this includes anything Pat builds. We literally were working on things until right up to Christmas day. I'd like to say we were behind because Pat had only moved up here last month, but I'm not so sure that is the reason for it. I do promise that next year will be different.
3. We probably go overboard with toys for the kids. I cannot help it. They love it, and I feel like they deserve a special day filled with gifts. They'll only be young once. We keep saying we'll do less the next year but we never do. And honestly I'm not so sure I want to scale-back.
4. I know Christmas shouldn't be about the gifts, but could someone please help my husband with Christmas shopping? Or maybe the lesson learned is that my husband and I have lived apart so long that he doesn't really know me anymore? I don't know. Remember my Christmas List? I bought myself two of the four items. I am happy to say I got an awesome tote bag from L.L. Bean that I wanted. It is blue and pink and has long handles and a zipper at the top just like I asked for. My husband had a big success with that. He claims it doesn't count because I was very explicit about what to get and where. I say it makes me happy so he did a good job. Unfortunately after that gift, I think my husband stopped listening.
I told him I wanted a $7 knit hat from JCPenney. I told him it was on the second floor and exactly where to find it. Well, he tells me that the boys didn't like any hats there, and so they went some where else. Yes, the hat was for me and not the boys, so their feelings on it shouldn't have mattered. In the end my $7 desired hat turned into a $60 winter set and that my husband lost the receipt to :/
Now don't get me wrong; I'm not ungrateful. I know I sound snobby. I'm just trying to joke around. After all, I'm sure everyone wants a coffee mug about breastfeeding right? I kid you not. I think when I said cute coffee mug things must have been lost in translation....
1 comment:
I know I go a little overboard too but in my perfect world my kids would only get gifts on the holidays and it would be special. I am going to try hard to stick to that this year.
My husband and I don't exchange gifts but every year it bugs me and I want to change it. Usually he will tell me what he wants and I will tell him what I want and we go out and buy it before Christmas.
But maybe it is better that way? I don't know...lol
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