better to give
As of about 8:45pm today, I'm officially done with my Christmas shopping. I had over 27 hours to spare, so it isn't really procrastinating, is it? Okay, yeah, I procrastinated.
The most expensive present I bought this year was for my mom. I bought her something she both needs and wants, but I've been second-guessing my choice since before I even bought the item. I've been looking forward to Christmas morning with a sense of impending dread, which isn't really what the adage, "Tis better to give than to receive," is supposed to be about. It isn't that she won't like the gift; it's that I think she'll be upset at the amount that I spent.
The whole thing makes me wishful for the kind of Christmas where everyone makes silly presents for one another, and gifts aren't really an important part of the day. In my family, even though every year someone declares that it will be a more modest Christmas, no one ever seems to survive without the post-holiday financial hangover.
Fiscally responsible? Not so much.
For my part, it isn't that I'm attracted to the material side of the gift-giving; it's that the things I want to give people cost money. Part of my initial holiday roadtrip plan was to skip Christmas with the family altogether and spend it someplace else. Theoretically, I could skip the whole present transaction that way, and just travel instead. In the end, it didn't work out that way, and I'm okay with that.
But next year, maybe I'll just bake cookies.
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Well, we've been remarkably restrained this year. We went out yesterday and got tea, and wine, and fancy chocolate to give people. Total spent, about $50. There were Christmases during the internet boom when we spent upwards of $1000 on Christmas. As you say, it's not that I want to be a spendthrift; I just have friends and family wh have really good taste. :)
My mantra for this year was to not shop on the regular-priced racks. And I managed to find exactly what I wanted this year for a grand total of $250 for everyone, siblings, in-laws, etc. The only exception is a rather expensive recliner for my hubby, who needs a comfy chair to support his weight, hopefully helping his back pain some.