It's different this year, isn't it?
Today I went to the maul, I mean the mall, to try to finish up my shopping. Not that I did all that much this year, I just wanted to see if I could find something cool and fun. I left there empty-handed. Man, I hate that Christmas consumer shit. When you've got people getting trampled to death at WalMart it's time to step back and take a good, hard look. We Americans have gotten pretty stupid about this in the last few years.
Usually by Christmas Eve the stores have been pretty much picked over. Not so this year. The stores were full of merchandise. Lots of good sales and discounts galore but I wasn't inspired. Except for one of Lindsay's college loans I'm debt free and I want to keep it that way. All the gifts we exchanged tonight were small and modestly priced. Going crazy with the spending is just plain stupid.
I left the mall and went across the street. I needed a roasting pan so I could make the brisket I'm taking up to SLO. I found a pretty good one for $19.99 with a $10 rebate. Now, THAT'S something to get excited about.
This evening we all went to Ken and Sherri's for their open house. They had set out a very nice spread and we all enjoyed a good, light dinner. It was perfect. It was nice visiting with everyone. Then we came home and opened our gifts. Paige had made mint brownies and gingerbread. We had that with sparkling apple cider.
Really, for being a crappy, low-budget Christmas it was really very nice. I had a good time with my girls and their guys. We all enjoyed watching the kitties on their various treks through the living room. I'm interested to see what they do to the tree in the next week.
Oh yeah, the tree. I haven't written about that yet. When I was in Borders the other night they had this 6 foot, HOT pink tinsel Christmas tree on sale for 75% off. When you see a hot pink tinsel tree for twenty bucks you just can't pass it up. I brought it home and Paige and Gabe set it up in the living room. We made some paper ornaments for it and covered it with multi-colored lights. I added some black maribou garland. The whole thing is pretty cat-friendly. There's nothing on this tree that they can hurt, unless someone decides that chewing on the light cord is a good idea. I watched Lio actually leap into the middle trying to get one of the Japanese paper balls I had placed deep within the branches.
I'm nicely tired. I have to get up early to take Lindsay and Kyle to the airport. I guess I'll go to bed.
5 comments:
MERRY CHRISTMAS DONITA!!
Thanks for bringing the kids to LAX -we can't wait to see them! Which won't be until 9pm tonight our time if their flights go as scheduled.
Laura and Craig are here and we're having 14 people to dinner (part of my family)
Craig gave Laura a piccolo for graduation and a"sleigh bells" shaker instrument for Christmas-he also brought his uke- we wish you could be here!
Merry Christmas!
Anne & Carl & Laura & Craig
isebstri- it's the best tree! (your pink one)
We didn't do the presents this year, either. Every economic thing is going to contract, we're starting with this christmas. A welter of stuff doesn't improve the holidays, it just fills up Goodwill.
You hit the nail on the head, we have to step back from consumerism. We're going to have no choice anyway. The ocean of money we've all been swimming in hasn't been good for governance. It's been pleasant not to have to worry about personal spending, but they say once your needs are adequately met, more money doesn't make you happier.
Now if the feds would meet our health-care needs, which would be cheaper and more efficient than the travesty of a health-care system we endure now, THAT would make an enormous difference. I'd max out the cards if I could buy that for everybody for christmas.
Yours politically, even on christmas day,
dean
P.S. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Anne- One of these years I will accompany Lindsay and Kyle. I've never been to New York and would love to see what a real white Christmas looks like. Craig and I will have a uke jam. You've probably heard by now that the kids missed their plane. They're on stand-by for the next one. Hoping, hoping.
Dean- Man, getting decently-priced health care would fix a heaping pile of my troubles. It's my biggest financial drain. Well, we've got a new president. Let's see what the dude can do.
ophankin- Bush and his family
(Heh! I like isebstri!)
Our's was smaller this year too. Nobody got any frivolous gifts really, it's all stuff they can use.
This is also the first Christmas in years that not a single cd was given to anyone in the house.
Now that is way strange seeing as everyone but me are music fanatics.
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