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katestineThe winter consumerist holidays didn't make much of an impression on me this year, although until Christmas Day, I kept having the vague feeling I'd forgotten something. I ordered long-ago planned presents for my parents before Thanksgiving, at Jon's urging, to close those loops. Lucky received multiple presents from his father for Chanukah. I was surprised to receive a present from him, a pair of earrings from Macys that I have dutifully worn for several dinners as a trio, but apparently that is how he and his parents do things.
My family has the custom that we only give presents to children, a custom honored more in the breach. For example, my brother's wife, not knowing this custom, bought my father a sweater and my mum a Lululemon jacket for Chanukah, which is awfully sweet. My uncle's wife's family does Yankee swaps, which every intelligent person with whom I've discussed it agrees is shitty and the complete opposite of the Christmas spirit. She wasn't present this year, but my sister sent mail over Thanksgiving weekend asking if we were doing it again this year. Argh! I thought we wouldn't have to! Speaking to my mother from New Orleans airport on Christmas eve morning, she required I participate. I considered asking Jon to print the deadweight loss of Christmas article and an Amazon gift certificate, but Julian had cleverly purchased his mum an assortment of local food-related souvenirs and I quickly did the same before we boarded.
We've always opened presents one by one, youngest first, but the only sub-college age child present was my 7yo cousin. After she'd opened hers, her father, our host, said we should do the Yankee swap, but I stubbornly held out for the usual ritual. In retrospect, I feel bad, not bc he was the host, but bc he was right, some people got fewer presents. I hadn't bought anything for anyone except my parents. They loved their presents: while I napped, my mum had been talking about how Bewitched was the last tv show she really liked. I'd gotten her the first two seasons, in the original b&w, on dvd, a technology she seems unfamiliar with. Once my father found out his present was a magic box that would play Space Invaders, he clutched it preciously for the rest of the night. I'm so glad I got to watch their reactions.
I hadn't purchased anything for my siblings bc I didn't have any great ideas and I was hoping that if my sister were playing a tit-for-tat strategy, my not getting her a present last year, after defecting and getting her a "present" in violation of our no-gifting pact the year before, would settle everything. oops. Baby bro and his gf got me/us a copy of Fat, which had been on my secret list of books Jon might enjoy. My sister apparently was not privy to the horribly embarrassing incident where I told my mum in confidence that I don't like candles and she told her sister who keeps buying me candles bc she likes them, so the next time they came over, they cleared out my stash of unwanted candles. oops. When Lbro arrived in Vt for our family vacation, he brought presents chosen by his thoughtful bride: B&N gift cards for the boys, personalized stationery for the girls. She picked the perfect lined envelopes and now I know why she asked me 2 months ago if I was changing my name. So incredibly classy and thoughtful. I feel really terrible that I didn't get any of them anything, but I think getting something now would be too little, too late. At least I have a year to plan next year's presents?
There are so many reasons why I hate Yankee swaps for our family. This year, while amusing, didn't really change my opinion. Most people kept the gifts they opened. My sister seemed to like the bag with pralines, hot sauce, and a Cajun cookbook. The only presents that got swapped were the two my mother put in, a basic Kindle and video gaming chair. I'm amused how much the Kindle was appreciated and someday when we have space, Lucky will love the gaming chair, which was originally purchased as his Christmas present anyhow.
My family has the custom that we only give presents to children, a custom honored more in the breach. For example, my brother's wife, not knowing this custom, bought my father a sweater and my mum a Lululemon jacket for Chanukah, which is awfully sweet. My uncle's wife's family does Yankee swaps, which every intelligent person with whom I've discussed it agrees is shitty and the complete opposite of the Christmas spirit. She wasn't present this year, but my sister sent mail over Thanksgiving weekend asking if we were doing it again this year. Argh! I thought we wouldn't have to! Speaking to my mother from New Orleans airport on Christmas eve morning, she required I participate. I considered asking Jon to print the deadweight loss of Christmas article and an Amazon gift certificate, but Julian had cleverly purchased his mum an assortment of local food-related souvenirs and I quickly did the same before we boarded.
We've always opened presents one by one, youngest first, but the only sub-college age child present was my 7yo cousin. After she'd opened hers, her father, our host, said we should do the Yankee swap, but I stubbornly held out for the usual ritual. In retrospect, I feel bad, not bc he was the host, but bc he was right, some people got fewer presents. I hadn't bought anything for anyone except my parents. They loved their presents: while I napped, my mum had been talking about how Bewitched was the last tv show she really liked. I'd gotten her the first two seasons, in the original b&w, on dvd, a technology she seems unfamiliar with. Once my father found out his present was a magic box that would play Space Invaders, he clutched it preciously for the rest of the night. I'm so glad I got to watch their reactions.
I hadn't purchased anything for my siblings bc I didn't have any great ideas and I was hoping that if my sister were playing a tit-for-tat strategy, my not getting her a present last year, after defecting and getting her a "present" in violation of our no-gifting pact the year before, would settle everything. oops. Baby bro and his gf got me/us a copy of Fat, which had been on my secret list of books Jon might enjoy. My sister apparently was not privy to the horribly embarrassing incident where I told my mum in confidence that I don't like candles and she told her sister who keeps buying me candles bc she likes them, so the next time they came over, they cleared out my stash of unwanted candles. oops. When Lbro arrived in Vt for our family vacation, he brought presents chosen by his thoughtful bride: B&N gift cards for the boys, personalized stationery for the girls. She picked the perfect lined envelopes and now I know why she asked me 2 months ago if I was changing my name. So incredibly classy and thoughtful. I feel really terrible that I didn't get any of them anything, but I think getting something now would be too little, too late. At least I have a year to plan next year's presents?
There are so many reasons why I hate Yankee swaps for our family. This year, while amusing, didn't really change my opinion. Most people kept the gifts they opened. My sister seemed to like the bag with pralines, hot sauce, and a Cajun cookbook. The only presents that got swapped were the two my mother put in, a basic Kindle and video gaming chair. I'm amused how much the Kindle was appreciated and someday when we have space, Lucky will love the gaming chair, which was originally purchased as his Christmas present anyhow.