Margot is coming by to get her child support this morning, and
she will be taking all her presents home with her. Daughter Laka got one…and it was a little
over budget. Yes, we have a budget for
the kids holiday gifts. Daughter Margot
got all sorts of seven, two, five, forty, and three dollar things plus a little
cash. It looks very unequal, but
financially it’s equal.
We will be returning from our trip on the 26th,
and will stop by Margot’s house on the way home. Another friend is in town the same day at the
same time, and I think we will not be seeing her because of this. Missing her “fer sure.” I miss my cranky and loved daughter Laka too
and so wish she would be here rather than there. Ah well.
I hope she is happy there.
Christmas and Grandkids.
They are one of the sorrows of my life.
One family isn’t speaking to us because we are not proper
Christians. Another, much loved family,
has been seen only fractionally all year as illness and other important things
have kept them close to home. We used to
email or chat on Facebook. No more, and
I miss the contact. Reluctantly, G and I
have made the decision that if a grandkid makes no effort to contact us this
year, we shan’t send them a present.
Just a card if we have their email addresses.
I hate that decision.
Cards. I sent out
e-cards this year, but the new email program didn’t let me address them
properly. You would have had a good
laugh at me and my frustrations as I struggled with the addresses. In some cases I sent out three cards perhaps
to the same person. I can’t see the
BCC’s, so I have no idea what I did.
Grrrrrr. Those cards haven’t
migrated back en mass, so maybe I did something right.
Margot has been and gone….happily. All the presents are packed into her car and
they are heading north now to miss the incoming rain. She says she won’t put them out as she is a
peeker. Zoe is a peeker too. “You have to put them out,” I said sternly…half
in pretend. Our tree looks bare now
without presents. Interesting how
presents migrate.
Well since no one has the perfect relations with family I can understand your sadness. I seem to be in better years now with those I love. Only one still keeps me up at nights. I am close to my grandkids, but they are all under 10. Ten years from now will be another tale. You do have to life for yourself and not pain yourself over others. You have some great close friendships that others do not have. Gift giving...Yech! Such a puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWhen we last saw each other, you didn't have any grandkids that I knew of. Where did they come from (not where, i know how, obviously). Just curious.
ReplyDeleteI mean, my Mom has only had one for 8 years...so it's not like it's weird or anything.
Proper Christians? Neither are they if they quit speaking to you IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI spend pretty much the same on each grandchild and I see a couple of them still think someone else is getting more than they are. Most don't care and just enjoy. The toddlers love it all. I suspect there is a connection to future happiness for the enjoyers. They seem to be the ones who know people care for them. One of my sisters, at 70, still thinks everyone has more, better, than she. Still it seems worth it to me to get to see them all sitting in their piles of discarded paper at the end, smiling. I'm lucky. Miss my sisters though, maybe next year I'll travel.
I wish there was an over Christmas cruise leaving from Seattle. Not feeling the Christmas thing so much this year. My gifts are all "Jewish Mother Gifts" (practical things so they won't have to spend the money) ... And I am not feeling bakerly because butter is almost $5 a pound. Not really humbuggy just waiting for the fa la la to kick in!
ReplyDeleteI'm still sending out cards in the mail, and probably will continue for a while. I don't mind getting an ecard from someone, but really like to see a note and a letter.
ReplyDeleteIt can be such a difficult time for so many reasons. I hope you have a lovely holiday in spite of the tough stuff.
ReplyDeletepresents are like rabbits, they multiply
ReplyDeleteAh yes, good Christians keeping you from polluting their sacredness. Uh huh.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just send ecards one at a time. That way, you can add a personal note to each.
I don't buy "Christmas" or "birthday" gifts. I buy whatever I like whenever I see it and give it to the grandchild the next time I see him/her. Or, I ship them the goodie. My family never made a big deal of these gift days, nor do I.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I still send some Christmas cards, but not online versions. Those I hate. Nor do I send birthday or holiday greeting via Facebook. I hate that too.
Half of my holiday card list will be by email with a digital newsletter. I can actually write a longer personal message than with a card. I'm still getting a few cards with only their name on it. Our name is only on the envelope. Why bother?
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard decision. I know what you mean, and I know the feeling.
Ah yes. We had a lovely visit with two granddaughters. May see the other two eventually. I you sent me a card, I didn't get it, but I sent a few cards to my kids, no more, so we are even. Off to check on G's blog.
ReplyDelete