Merry Christmas!
Posted on 12/26/2008 7:05:49 AM PST by HomeschoolMomma
This year was a lean year as far as Christmas presents go. We didn’t exchange with family that was ‘far away” so that cut down out costs, but it also severely cut the number under the tree for the two kids. Our kids knew it had been a tight year and when they gave us their lists, I could tell they were being conservative on purpose (despite being teenagers) by the number of items on their list.
You know, my husband has a well-paying job – and after three friend’s husband’s losing their jobs this year, I am truly grateful for it. They have laid-off 600 where he works, so when he has to work from home practically 7 days a week, I don’t complain – he has a JOB for which I am thankful! Taxes have gone up every year, and new special dietary restriction due to a discovered allergy to wheat for my kids has made my grocery bill skyrocket. I have to shop at natural food store - meaning I pay three times what I should. At least gas has finally come down, by I have maxed out every credit card, and am paying them out the whaazoo each month from the 90 miles a day my husband drives round trip to work plus the miles I drive taking the kids from activity to activity. I literally live paycheck to paycheck; half the time not paying things until they are “on fire”. I really understand the meaning of house-poor. There is nothing left after I pay the bills.
I don’t know about you, but it seems like this was the year God has tested me financially. It was one thing after another. Literally in the week before Christmas – right after payday – the dishwasher blew up spewing hot, soapy water everywhere, needing to be replaced, which then ruined my hardwood floors – ($1000 deductible to fix them), adding insult to injury - my car breaks down not 24 hours later -$750 to repair. THEN a stone flicks off the road and shatters my husband windshield. Ummmmm… DID I MENTION MY CREDIT CARDS ARE ALL MAXED OUT!!!!
So luckily for me the kid’s presents were all bought. Christmas for them was taken care of. But, when it came to buying for my husband and myself, there was literally nothing left. So my present from the kids and my husband was a pair of pj’s (which I was going to buy anyway), and my husband got a dvd -both bought with a gift card that I got for my birthday. Thinking back, my mom and dad NEVER gave each other anything big, but we kids ALWAYS had plenty. Mom just got a little box of her favorite chocolate covered cherries and dad, a cheap bottle of aftershave…and that was all…and they were happy. I used to wonder why.
My husband used to tell a story of how one year, all his mom got was an egg timer, and would make fun of how bad his dad was at picking out that gift and how he made his mom cry. After how horrible things have been this year – I truly know why she cried. She did not cry because she got an egg timer...she cried because she was thought about and was touched that she got any present at all when she truly wasn’t expecting anything. His dad probably sacrificed lunch one day to have the money to buy that egg timer…and my guess is, that egg timer probably meant more to her than any present she ever got in her life!
And are all of you extremely thankful for them as well?
Bless you in the year to come and at this Holy season. V’s wife.
Still, we had a good Christmas; we just didn't go crazy as we've done for some Christmases past.
“Anyone else get “egg-timers” this year? Or just a box of chocolate covered cherries?
And are all of you extremely thankful for them as well”?
...we’re grateful every year for everything we get! We had a nice Christmas that wasn’t overly lean. I anticipate that next year will be different. I’m in Real Estate. Everyone should read Glenn Beck’s “Christmas Sweater”. Both my kids are reading it and their Mom and I read it last week. An excellent lesson in the true meaning of giving, family and Christmas.
I got socks!
{AHEM!}
I gave socks!
One Christmas back in the 70s when my father was unemployed all I got was a pair of mittens and tennis shoes purchased from Kroger grocery store. That was pretty much it. I might have also got a shirt, too. Today, I have more material crap that I really need. I’m pretty content but not because of things that I bought or received. It’s much more fun to give.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas! Hope it was a nice one.
Pretty much the only thing my husband and I exchange every year is- I get him his budweiser collectible holiday mug, and he got me my hallmark rocking horse ornament until they stopped making them. Now he gets me the lennox annual snowman ornament.
During the first 15 years of our marriage he also bought me piece by piece, the lennox jewel nativity scene. This was a little easier for him than most as he worked by the Lennox warehouse in NJ, and they carried slightly imperfect pieces at a huge discount. I guess we were luckier than most.
The last 5 years its only been the mug and ornament (mostly cause we buy them early) cause by christmas there is no money left :). I LOVE those cherries btw!
Yes and no... I’m not too sure whether my small number of gifts was due to hard times, or just people accidentally forgetting me again (I’m leaning towards the latter, as it’s happened multiple times before, and my siblings all got nice enough gifts). In any case, I’m as thankful as I ever was, but for me the gifts on Christmas morning aren’t a big part of Christmas, and the good part of the holidays is in our traditions, both official family traditions and unofficial personal ones.
No, I wasn’t implying anything, just recounting one of my Christmas’ as a child when I saw reference to the socks. It was a very Merry Christmas this year (though I’m glad the shopping is over). :)
Maybe the egg-timer was to time her husband?
I got to watch my kids faces light up when they got a toy they wanted. I am thankful for that and many other things as well.
Christmas to me now is more about celebrating the birth of Christ and being with the people I love.
Have a wonderful and blessed 2009.
Actually the only thing that EVER went on the cards was gas, prescriptions, and groceries. The few presents were paid cash! Don’t judge!
You might try this web page for some advice: http://www.daveramsey.com/ Mrs SLB and I use a debit card, so no maxing out a credit card.
We had a decent Christmas, have a daughter getting married in two weeks and have the normal catastrophes that happen - the fuel pump went out on the Suburban on Christmas eve. However, we realize that Christmas comes on December 25th each year and that emergencies do happen. We live within our means all year, and yes we have food allergies that have to be taken into consideration. We have five children, and although they are older, they still like Christmas and the stocking stuffers mom and dad get for them. This year we did cut back some, but we also picked up Christmas for a sister-in-law who is trying to raise two grandchildren on her income.
What I am trying to tell you is BUDGET all year!
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