They go hand in hand right? It is amazing how the joy of giving has become the expectation of receiving for so many people. How people go crazy trying to outdo each other-especially when it comes to kids.
I grew up lower middle class. We had good christmases. I remember times when my grandmother (bigmamma) would give my mom money to shop for us from her and then we would have to return it after christmas to pay the electric bill. One year it was a VCR–like in 1985 when VCR’s were not in every room of every house and a movie cost 60 bucks…remember. I wanted that VCR so bad.
My kids have been lucky i think. AJ told me that he doesn’t remember one time i have ever given him something he truly wanted. THe ipod, he wanted a 4 gig and only got a 2 gig. The playstation 2 , he wanted an XBOX, the ibanez guitar and amp, who knows what he wanted instead. All of the above presents, he has lost, sold or let someone have (the guitar he let a friend have). The playstion 2 he sold for 15 dollars. He told me that a few weeks ago and I wondered where i have gone wrong with him. I have never had much money at christmas and have sold stuff, not payed a bill, or borrowed a little money to give the kids at least one nice thing each year. I also made sure to buy them a good book each year. When he moved out, he threw his books away. How could they have no sentimental value to him at all?
The best gifts for me are about the sentiment…a book i loved as a child is an important gift for me to give my kids. This year I am buying my dad a copy of Where the red fern grows—READ THIS BOOK—because my grandaddy loved the book so much. Grandaddy read the book when he was 70 years old and cried his eyes out. I say again—read this book!
Apparently, it isnt about the sentiment too much anymore, when people are stomping all over others in an attempt to get a sale price on a new tv. Its not about the joy of giving anymore is it…poor Jesus, how sad he must be to see his birthday desecrated in such a way.
This year AJ is getting a pair of socks and a sweatshirt for christmas…with a box of job applications.
summary: How do poor people spoil their kids? What do i do different with Kati-pie?
I’m pissed because: someone died at Walmart under a pack of crazy wild animals trying to get a good deal.
I’m really pissed about that. What is happening to humanity?
Im thankful for: my favorite christmas memory as a child—my parents were really broke, dad hadnt worked in 2 months so we all wrote on index cards what we would do that day for another person in the family. that was nice and it didn’t cost anything.
