Some musings on the whole gift thing...
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| This is not our current tree..I fear this photo may be several years old....please, I'm not at all tree ready! |
I have reached an age. An age at which I need nothing. Mr Dunnit doesn't have to prove his love with grand gestures, I don't have to have masses of presents to reassure myself that I'm loved. I don't need any more 'stuff' that's for sure. But that doesn't stop me wanting or enjoying gifts, there's still loads of stuff out there that I like! I am part of an income bracket, or is it a generation, that within reason, operates on the 'see it, want it, buy it' theory. It wasn't always thus, and I'm not talking about massive acts of wanton extravagance here. I'm thinking of the odd piece of clothing or the necessary five or six sheets of 12 x 12 or a new set of stamps. The odd workshop or weekend away with chums..things I want rather than need...costs that many years ago at the beginning of our married life, we wouldn't have considered let alone been able to bear. I remember getting new underwear or a nightdress for Christmas because I needed them. This is not a sob story, more an indication of how things have changed. And how I've changed too. Now, if I find something that I really do want, can justify and actually feel a need for...I get very impatient to have it. I don't go to ridiculous lengths, just the ends of the earth and back by tea time if I have to. I ordered some China for Christmas, stuff I've been saving and working for. The order acknowledgement said it was out of stock and wouldn't be here until December 21st. Well that's no good is it. I want to enjoy it all month, starting NOW. So I told them that I'd have to cancel the order, the delivery time wasn't acceptable and most importantly, if it had shown on the website as out of stock, I wouldn't have ordered it. I couldn't put it out of my mind, I was disappointed, and wasted another two nights of valuable free time searching the internet for a supplier with stock. Tried really hard to be grown up and forget it. Then the original company emailed me to say it had arrived in stock...so I bought it and it came. I'm happy now. Isn't that ridiculous! Now that I have a complicated work life balance, and now that I have to really make time to create/shop/cook, I fully appreciate every minute put into making, purchasing or even considering gift giving. On that basis alone, I love every gift.
I guess I'm not alone. Share your thoughts why don't ya?
edited to add: Oh and hey..Art Diva needs help and this is fully in the spirit of this particular post, which is why I offered to add it to the blog...
She's looking for two Stamps by Suzi Blu, second hand is fine, because she fears they are discontinued....'You are Loved' and 'Love is the Whole Point'
Anyone able to help..please comment here or let Sherie know directly! See - she's emailing the ends of the earth for them, so I know EXACTLY how frustrated she is!
Do I take it you wont be asking for something large and shiny this year (???)
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your china.
Toni xx
ah, Mrs Dunnit, so glad you are not tree ready! very reassuring! the opening pickie on my dashboard caused some conniptions over here!!
ReplyDelete..then chuckled my way through the post cos so know what you mean by the progress of pressies same here .. guess same generation.. mind you trying hard to be good but like you justifying a buy of few items for Christmas :D
..and confession time:
I think my post might have led you astray. The card was made with the curved boarder die which was on my desk, and not the elegant ovals alone.. they were used - but only in usual fashion.
I do hope the NEEDED stamps are found, Shaz in Oz.x
HERE,HERE! I am of the same generation LOL! If it is something I really need I will buy it, if it is something I really want, like the coffee cups to my Christmas chine. I do work at it a little harder. I even called DH, but he didn't answer so I shop the rest of the store, then circle round and put 4 of them in my basket (an "executive decision" if what I call it) Besides we really don't buy each other "gifts" either, unless it is something I want HIM to have so I can use it....LOL
ReplyDeleteI do have my tree up and ready to go but just because it was a gift and came early so I had to see how it looked. Love it! I totally understand about the china...so glad you were able to get it. Hope the stamps are found as well.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your china, fancy having to wait till 4 days before Christmas for it, how very could you, lol! I have just been to Oxford Street (yikes!) to buy my new camera because I decided I needed it now...! Trouble is now I need to work out how it works... Can't help with the stamps, I am afraid.
ReplyDeleteI was there with you all through that post. It is exactly the same with us. But I do know that if I really want an expensive item I only have to ask and he says "You can have it for Christmas/birthday". We had to stop 'doing presents' as such when we moved here because we are just not near any shops, but there are plenty of odds and ends that please me from local markets etc. It is much harder for me to buy for him, because everything he wants is too technical so I would buy the wrong thing, and he buys as and when anyway.
ReplyDeleteI am very impatient when I buy online but have learned that sometimes I do have to wait when customs decide to investigate a parcel, or a company choses to use a courier who only delivers over here once a week. It is very frustrating! Hope the rest of your Christmas preparations go smoothly. Kate x
Have exactly same attitude for buying. I do not crave or get impressed with expensive jewelry accessories spa visits etc. Wen buy our own pressies and do not put up a tree. I do plan to buy a big poinsettia because they are so pretty. No tree either gave away the decorations years ago as we always travelled in S,America over the holiday.
ReplyDeletellife is good when you enjoy what you have.
I am having difficulty getting motivated to get the tree and decorations up. Like you and your DH we have been together so long we don't need to buy each other gifts and have already bought what we want if we wanted it bad enough! If I want a decorated house to sit in I am only a few miles from the DD and can make a 10 min drive to be surrounded in Christmas goodness. I think I will search out my Christmas dishes, table cloth, and maybe even the 2 foot tree...Merry Christmas Julia!
ReplyDeleteJulia, where are the pictures of the china that you coveted so much. Come on let's see how beautiful it is?
ReplyDeleteChris #30
Just a question, why did I move down from 29 to 30 over three days?
I hear ya ! I am of the age that if I need or want something enough I buy it. My hubby and I do not purchase presents for each other very often. so when I was able to sell a few paintings lately (Good Luck Fairy on my side lately) I decided to purchase a big comfortable reclining chair for the hubs. (his birthday is Dec 2oth and so it usually gets forgotten is the Holiday hub-bub ! It is a present for me also because now I get the WHOLE sofa to myself since he will now fall asleep while "watching" Television at night in his own chair. We each do indeed need our own space these days
ReplyDelete-Kat-
tree ready? me neither ask me on the 22nd.... maybe!
ReplyDeleteas for the gift thing Id much rather have their company for a good meal and a few laughs
janet
I agree we need to see this infamous china. And it was a lovely tree. :) No tree here yer either and probably won't have one a'tall ....enjoy your Christmas preparations.
ReplyDeleteOh dear Julia, I remember that income bracket. Don't think it's generational, though. Of course, I have all the patience in the world. I can allow a gift to sit for over a month unopened when I've been asked to wait. I was never one to shake my gifts, or try to open them before time. But I CAN relate to wanting it NOW! I see both sides of this one.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the ink you sent is beautiful and PERFECT. Unfortunately, my stamping isn't (grin).
Must have something to do with increasing age. SIMPLE is Good.SIMPLER is better!!I have given away so much I have hardly anything left to decorate with!!I wanted to add some BLOG Zing, so just bought a few little bits this year.Kev buys me books that I see over the year.When they get delivered, he puts then away for Xmas, then birthday in Jan .
ReplyDeleteThanks for nice comment on my blog dear Julia.
We don't do a tree or decorations inside except for the stockings. There are color chili lights on the outside. Hubby grew up dirt poor where Christmas meant new shoes and a coat, maybe a toy. We got married and weren't much better off but he wanted that toy! Now we're at that same generation you are and no kids to put through college to put, but yet hubby wants his toys! And he wants to buy toys for me even though I say no. This is the first year I've convinced him no, but only because in October I bought two huge pricey bookshelves for myself and called them my Christmas present. He bought himself a new computer last month. I hope we can end the holiday madness and greed in our house. We buy what we want, pretty much when we want it, why do we have to buy several hundred dollars worth of stuff for each other at the end of the year???!
ReplyDeleteI've learned I don't really enjoy getting a huge load of crafting goodies at once. Like it is too much to enjoy. It gets put away and forgotten about. I'd much rather have a stamp or two here and there with some paper sprinkled in. All year 'round! ;-P
I'm with you Julia. At 53 years old, I really don't NEED anything. I don't buy that many clothes anymore--in the summer I embroider old shorts and prefer them to new. I don't need knick nacks, and my Kitchen Aid mixer has worked like a charm for 20 years. It is really a matter of what would be NICE to have. So making a Christmas list can be tricky--but because I craft things, there's always something they can get me!
ReplyDeleteWe have enough stuff too, more than enough. And with me having a bday 2 weeks after Xmas and himself in February, it tends to be a bit top heavy if you now what I mean! Yes, I like a few presents and I like crafty presents too, but with sales, coupons and a little planning I never spend a lot even if it looks like I do! But I do love to see parcels under the tree, we'll wrap up anything in this house if it stands still long enough! Set of frying pans? Check. French Press to replace a broken one? Check (we couldn't have morning coffee one year until that parcel was located and opened!). New Christmas cd? Check, you'll find it under the tree! You get the idea. Yes there will be a few personal gifts, and one knitting related item that I really, really want and will be useful. But apart from that, with our families so far away from us, the best thing we can give each other is our time and attention for a few days.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Brenda
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