Christmas List

[Nienna]

My mother-in-law asked us to make a list of things we would like to have for Christmas. My kids are no problem, of course; they have lists that are pages long. But I have a real problem with this. I can never think of anything that I want. Plus I'm not sure of the price range she would like me to stay in. The whole thing is just embarrassing for me. Am I just really abnormal? Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[dmp]

I know how you feel. I hate people feeling obligated to buy a gift for me. Frankly, if people don't know me well enough to know what I want anyway, I'd just as soon 'not' get something from them. That isn't to say I would not be gracious, but it's to say I don't want a present 'because it's christmas' I want a present because they really want to give something to me.

make any sense?

 

[Nienna]

Yes, perfect sense!

I always feel like I'm weird bc I'm not that into gifts. I mean, I like them and appreciate them. But, like you said, I would rather not have something someone got me just because they had to. Maybe that's selfish and unappreciative.

Oh well, back to flipping through magazines, looking for ideas...

 

[dmp]

Yes, perfect sense!

I always feel like I'm weird bc I'm not that into gifts. I mean, I like them and appreciate them. But, like you said, I would rather not have something someone got me just because they had to. Maybe that's selfish and unappreciative.

Oh well, back to flipping through magazines, looking for ideas...

One aspect for me to deal with - 'what do you want for xmas?' from my wife. She doesn't have outside income from what I make, so it's really never a surprise for me. She does her best to be creative, and succeeds, but it's not so much a gift when i'm paying for it, in a sense. Top that off with 'we never wait till xmas to buy stuff anyway'. That is to say, when we see something we want, we usually just get it.

 

[Mr. P]

My mother-in-law asked us to make a list of things we would like to have for Christmas. My kids are no problem, of course; they have lists that are pages long. But I have a real problem with this. I can never think of anything that I want. Plus I'm not sure of the price range she would like me to stay in. The whole thing is just embarrassing for me. Am I just really abnormal? Does anyone else feel this way?

I feel the same way, truth is I never want anything anyway. Well, cept a pair of socks maybe.

 

[no1tovote4]

I feel the same way, truth is I never want anything anyway. Well, cept a pair of socks maybe.

I want one million dollars! Gimme, gimme!

This is one of the things that my wife is doing to me this year. She won't give me a list of something that she wants as she is afraid that her present will send us over some limit that hasn't been imposed and will suddenly and irrevocably send our family into irrecoverable bankruptcy. So, she'll end up with a PDA to help with the software she uses to save us money while shopping and then will think her PDA has been too costly and will work even harder to save us money we don't really need to save...

It's a vicious loop.

 

[Nienna]

One aspect for me to deal with - 'what do you want for xmas?' from my wife. She doesn't have outside income from what I make, so it's really never a surprise for me. She does her best to be creative, and succeeds, but it's not so much a gift when i'm paying for it, in a sense. Top that off with 'we never wait till xmas to buy stuff anyway'. That is to say, when we see something we want, we usually just get it.

Even though my husband makes all the money, I'm the one in charge of it. So I can surprise him, but it's really hard for him to surprise me. Anyway, even though he makes the money, I consider it all to be mine. Seriously, I feel like I have done my share, and that the money belongs to both of us, so the gift really is "from me."

I'm the party pooper for him, bc I never want anything. Well, this year, I think I have him convinced to wait for tax returns. Then we can have stuff we want, ease up on the financial pinch that comes at Christmas, and get to have a date when we go shopping. He always agrees to this, but then gets me a gift anyway.

 

[Nienna]

I want one million dollars! Gimme, gimme!

This is one of the things that my wife is doing to me this year. She won't give me a list of something that she wants as she is afraid that her present will send us over some limit that hasn't been imposed and will suddenly and irrevocably send our family into irrecoverable bankruptcy. So, she'll end up with a PDA to help with the software she uses to save us money while shopping and then will think her PDA has been too costly and will work even harder to save us money we don't really need to save...

It's a vicious loop.

Yes, women do that!

 

[Abbey Normal]

One aspect for me to deal with - 'what do you want for xmas?' from my wife. She doesn't have outside income from what I make, so it's really never a surprise for me. She does her best to be creative, and succeeds, but it's not so much a gift when i'm paying for it, in a sense. Top that off with 'we never wait till xmas to buy stuff anyway'. That is to say, when we see something we want, we usually just get it.

After 16 years, we are at the point where we "buy each other" some large thing for the house, i.e., this year, new flooring for the kitchen. Then we buy each other some smaller surprise things (like books) that are special but not very expensive, so we have something to unwrap. Buying for our daughter is fun, and we still go overboard there.

My MIL always asks me what I want, too. It makes me feel like we are a short step away from her just handing me the money and telling me to go shopping for myself. Kind of weird that after all these years she still has no clue about my tastes and interests...

Hmmm. Maybe a US MessageBoard membership this year.