Oh Christmas! what a guilt trip it is. I want to give to the whole family and I barely got anything for my immediate kin. Our microwave died a month ago so Carroll got a new microwave, he and James made me let them use it instead of letting me put it under the tree. kill joys. So I had to get him another gift so he would have something to open today. (it is 6am) I got him a winter scarf I call it a man-scarf, I wanted the kind men in NY city wear in the winter, classy yet not real long, and manly. I bought one for James too it has been freakin' cold! I also bought them both winter gloves from Cabala's because James cant drive in the bulky ones he has been borrowing from Carroll. (actually I ordered the gloves and a nice fleece jacket for James but they had to be delivered to the store, I got impatient and went and bought one pair of gloves they didn't have them in the other size I bought. So the gloves and jacket are in at the store but I cant get them now. (I didn't have time or money to pick them up yesterday) So I got James an exercise ball. A man one, not the palates woman one. He has been worried about his center flab and wants to work his abs.
I had a hell of a time deciding what to get David, and settled on a Hot Topic gift certificate. That way I know he will get something for himself and not the baby.
I bought Wendi a small Eeyore ( she likes him best) I should have sent something more but I couldn't I spent more on Nicholas. He got three outfits. one is jammies, one is a short and hoodie set but the hoodie is sleeveless, and an adorable three piece suit with a tie and a hankie in the pocket! It has pin striped pants it is so adorable! Also me, Ethan and Colling made him a no-sew blanket of Tigger and a no-sew pillow.
I sent a raving mushy letter to Wendi's parents thanking them for helping David, Wendi and Nicholas start out by living with them.
The kids (Ethan, Collin and Isabelle) made plaster of paris gifts for everyone here and snow globes. So me, Carroll, James and Vanessa are all getting those for Christmas from the kids. Making crafts with me and their daddy was part of their Christmas gifts but they dint know that.
I made Isabelle a no-sew pillow also. We got her a baby doll that babbles baby sounds, and an outfit of a corduroy jumper with a turtle neck shirt.
Ethan is getting one of the snow globes he made, a science kit to grow his own crystals, and his own backgammon set. (we play acey deucey).
Collin is getting a play set of a Navy ship, airplane and truck with some soldiers and another big set of soldiers, and a snow globe he made.
Vanessa is getting the trinkets the kids made, one of them has Isabelle's hand prints, and I gave her two pair of earrings.
I didn't get anything for anyone else. Not even mom or dad. not for Gramma or Jerry or Uncle Nick and Aunt Midge, or anyone else.
Like I said in the beginning what a guilt trip. I had to get a payday loan to get what I got.
But the tree is up and lighted, the decorations are out and it looks like Christmas here, no snow though. (I dint miss it)
I did have to give myself an attitude adjustment about Christmas. I am not sure how to do Christmas morning without kids or family. Being the Grandma on Daddy's side means I wait until last. The kids have Christmas at home and then most of the day with their other grandparents and great grandparents and I am last. At least with James living here I am still one the list.
James is working today until 3:30pm the kids will be here sometime between 1 and 3pm. I hated it the first year here waiting and pacing all day for the kids to get her to have Christmas, I hated it that's why we went to Florida last year.
This year I just needed to re-think it all. I asked people at work, "what do old people do on Christmas? I mean with no kids running down the stairs and yelling Santa came? What do they do on Christmas morning?" The consensuses was not church because they would have gone the night before.
So I decided Carroll and I will have a breakfast quiche and then watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and maybe play Scrabble. After James comes home from work and the kids are here we will have Christmas gifts. We are having a small ham and James is having a steak (ham is salty) the kids would have eaten all morning with their Christmas breakfast and their Christmas dinner in the afternoon.
This is the first year in 27 years I have not done stockings. Not even for me and Carroll because I didn't have the money. I did buy some M&Ms and Kisses though.
I woke up like a kid all night excited about Santa, I guess. I woke up at 3am and sat up for a while, then went back to sleep. I woke up again around 5am and have been up since. I am going to need a nap.
This is long, I am done for now. I will tell you later what I got for Christmas, besides the three books I bought myself. "Giving" by Bill Clinton, "The Enemy Within" about prejudices, and "A Traitor to His Class" about FDR.
Chao
