Single Moms and Christmas

[Annie]

Not exact, but close enough:

http://twobabesandabrain.typepad.com/two_babes_and_a_brain/2005/12/my_favorite_chr.html

My Favorite Christmas...

Has nothing to do with family gatherings with aunts and uncles and cousins or gifts I've received... It has nothing to do with my brother and I making those funny paper chains or stringing popcorn when we were kids....And it has nothing to do with the smells of roasting turkey or mulled cider wafting throughout the house.

It was 1987. I was 26 and divorced with two little girls under the age of 3...living in a small 2 bedroom rental house on the main street of Ashland...and had no money for Christmas.

I was working full time...trying to pay the bills and keep up with daycare and diapers. I knew that the girls would have a bountiful Christmas at their dad's so I certainly didn't try to compete. But I wanted the girls to know that Santa didn't forget them at their home.

The girls were still in diapers and I had been saving all those "Pamper Points" from the packages. I called the Pamper people and asked them to send me a catalog...I was going shopping. The catalog came and I started circling and marking and folding pages trying to narrow down what I wanted to get. I finally decided on the Little Tykes kitchen and 2 chairs.

The set came...but something was missing. The girls needed dishes. How can you have a kitchen without dishes? I had 10 bucks to my name. So I headed out to Toy-R-Us and after mulling through their "Clearance" section, there it was... a set of dishes on sale for $8.95. But not just any set of dishes...a Little Tykes set of dishes that matched their kitchen.

After the girls went to bed under threat of "Santa's not coming", I unpacked and put together their kitchen, strategically setting out their dishes, making sure the utensils were in the correct places. I sat there, in one of their chairs, gazing at my accomplishment....crying and proud. I had provided Christmas for my girls.

Christmas morning was a whirl of excitment. We had our breakfast at their little attached table on their new dishes...spreading butter on our toast with their new butter knives...sipping tea from their teacups. And, we washed the dishes at their sink. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

My girls are now 19 and 20...they still remember that Christmas...and I'll never forget it.

Lisa

 

[Said1]

Not exact, but close enough:

http://twobabesandabrain.typepad.com/two_babes_and_a_brain/2005/12/my_favorite_chr.html

Cute.

My mother used to hide the gifts everywhere, with little written clues all over the place. Used to drive me nuts.

 

[Annie]

Cute.

My mother used to hide the gifts everywhere, with little written clues all over the place. Used to drive me nuts.

Thanks. I remember that 'first Christmas', it was tough. The kids were used to nearly 1k worth of toys, and I had about $125. My parents helped, they weren't Santa. We got through with lots of letters and explanations.

 

[Said1]

Thanks. I remember that 'first Christmas', it was tough. The kids were used to nearly 1k worth of toys, and I had about $125. My parents helped, they weren't Santa. We got through with lots of letters and explanations.

I guess the 'clues" kept me busy enough not to notice what wasn't there. She did that at Easter too. It really did get on my nerves and I used to whine about it and everything.

I'll have to bring that up tomorrow.

 

[Annie]

I guess the 'clues" kept me busy enough not to notice what wasn't there. She did that at Easter too. It really did get on my nerves and I used to whine about it and everything.

I'll have to bring that up tomorrow.

I like the 'clues' idea, I wasn't swift enough for that. Damn.

 

[Said1]

I like the 'clues' idea, I wasn't swift enough for that. Damn.

It's just as well, one whinny kid is probably bad enough, let alone three.