I still make a Christmas list for my parents. It may seem childish, but at it’s not like I’m writing it in crayon. I e-mail my mother a list of items I would like for Christmas, complete with hyperlinks to where they can be be purchased online at the best price. I streamline Christmas shopping, because I’m a good boy, and I deserve some cool shit from Santa.
In all seriousness, my Christmas list revolves around practical, useful gifts. You know, the necessities I hate buying for myself. I might ruin a night spending $8 on socks at Target, but if I score a dozen pairs on Christmas, I’ll be the happiest boy on Hathaway Lane.
Two years ago, I asked for a book case. I received a gorgeous six-foot book case made of heavy wood stained espresso. Loved it. Last year, I received an iPod shuffle to help facilitate Operation: Lose the Jiggle. Loved it. This year, I’ve asked for the following items:
1. Starbucks Stainless Steel Tech Tumbler
3. New Balance 430 retro running shoes
5. XL Kelly Green Timberwolves hoodie with circular chest logo
6. Nike FlexFIT Cap Black/WhiteThese are practical, affordable items I feel I need, but also sort of want. Had I stuck to needs, the list would’ve included:
- Operation to take away Olive’s ladyhood
- Pay my car insurance
- Pay my car lease
- Pay off my Best Buy card
- Pay my student loans for a month
- Pay my rent
- Shovel my driveway
The business of asking for things has become more difficult with age. Once you’ve got an adult life with all the responsibility that comes with it, you’re more sensitive to the struggle to free up a few bucks to buy gifts. It’s not easy. It really puts Black Friday and crazy coupon shoppers in context.
I wasn’t even going to send a Christmas list this year. Had my mom not begged for it several times over, I may have forgotten to send one. And writing up a Christmas list took a while this year. I’ve gotten into a terrible habit of just buying everything I want. On the upside, I never really want much, unless it’s got an Apple logo on it.
I’ll push off for Sioux Falls tomorrow morning so we can continue the Miller family tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t so many years ago I would’ve spent the days leading up Army crawling under the tree, trying to pull away tape and wrapping paper on gift reconnaissance.
Now, I’m just hoping I got some socks.
I hear ya…I’m in literally the exact same situation.
I got my Christmas list out to my Mama–after weeks of pleading for me to supply it–about a week and a half ago.
I don’t know what to ask for so I ask for things of the “free rent” and “pay my student loans” ilk and then I generally draw a blank.
I ask for a lot of gift cards, but my family is seemingly opposed to them, so I’ve got to cook up something (anything) and always end up struggling, because I also buy what I want and my needs aren’t the type of things I feel comfortable asking others to take care of for me.
I feel your pain, my brotha…
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and got all the socks you wanted… and the awesome coffee mug :)
Have a safe trip back to Mpls :)
Thanks for the well wishes, Heather. Know that you are one of the first people I think of whenever tempted to skip a day of blogging.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a safe, snow-free New Year.
Wait until you own a house… I didn’t know what a reciprocating saw was until a couple years ago. I’ve needed one a dozen times since then.
Same goes for:
– Chainsaw to trim all my trees each year
– Step Ladder so I can reach things to paint, cut, hang, patch, etc.
– 1/4″ Ratchet Set (millions of uses around the house)
Anyway, the list goes on and on, and that doesn’t include my wife’s kitchen items. I’m convinced she’s got everything in the Williams Sonoma catalog.