Questions from Zelda’s weblog: 1.
Questions from Zelda’s weblog:
1. How do you feel about Christmas gift-giving? Did you start shopping early? Do you enjoy going shopping? Can you afford it?
I like gift-giving in general. I shop for Christmas/birthdays/no reason around the year and I enjoy it because I do most of it at thrift stores and it’s the thrill of the chase. There are some things I need/want to buy new, however, but I do some extra writing over the year to pay for it.
2. Are you bothered by consumerism at Christmas? Did you support or violate "no shopping day" on Nov. 29th? Are you shopping more or less than previous years?
I’m bothered by rampant consumerism period. That it’s more apparent during the Christmas season is no more annoying to me than it is any other day. I didn’t shop on November 29th but I wouldn’t have even if it wasn’t a boycott day because crowds make me squirrelly. I try not to go into a mall more than once or twice a decade. However last year I was working at a toy store (in very small mall thereby fulfilling my mall needs for the rest of my damn life) so I was out in the mess but as a service person, it was a lot less annoying. I shop about the same any year. Like I said, I spread it out.
3. Do you ever feel that your holiday purchasing is spinning out of control? Do you need to be frugal with gift giving? What are some of your ideas for saving money?
I used to feel that my spending was out of control back when I had money. I am frugal with gift giving but I really, really enjoy having gifts for friends and I don’t mind participating in the holiday exchange because it ties me to the community. I mean, I wouldn’t totally want to opt out of the holiday season because there’s much of it I enjoy and so many of the people whom I love participate. Fortunately, my friends/family don’t mind used gifts and even enjoy them. There is nothing like receiving a well-loved but still readable book for Christmas with some child’s scrawly inscription on the title page. My family totally goes for stuff like that.
4. Are you making any gifts this year? What are you making, and for whom? Is your handmade gift more or less expensive than purchasing a gift? Please share photos, if you have them.
I am the most uncrafty person I know so I don’t make stuff. My sister, as many of you know, makes gorgeous stuff and my brother-in-law throws clay so between the two of them, I am way too intimidated to try to pull something out of a Martha magazine. Besides, I hate doing crafts; I’m all thumbs. That said, I do burn CDs and I like framing pictures in really special ways. Noah is making picture frames for his people this year.
5. Do you have a lot of extended family to buy for? How do you handle family differences during the Christmas holidays? Are family gift-giving expectations realistic, or not?
As I said, my family and Brett’s family are both cool with frugal gift giving. This year Brett’s family drew names for gifts. In our family, we’re supposed to only buy for the kids but we *like* buying for each other so everyone ends up getting something. My sister and I usually trade books.
6. What types of gifts will your children receive? Does Santa come to your house? How do you feel about keeping the Santa myth alive?
Noah will be getting a Playmobil set from us and new jammies. Brett will probably buy something else, too. Santa does come to our house but we don’t do much to keep the myth alive. We follow Eda LaShan’s recommendations around Santa actually. She basically recommends enjoying the Santa myth without going out of your way to perpetuate it. No sleighbells at midnight, no elaborate lies.
7. Are you and your partner exchanging gifts this year? If so, what? Are you generally pleased or displeased with your partner’s gift to you?
Brett likes to buy me gifts so even when we set limits on it, he usually goes overboard. He always gets me wonderful stuff, really thoughtful, and as shallow as it is, I absolutely love getting presents from him. Me, I’m less successful at getting him what he really wants but he never seems to mind.
Wow, great answers! Very insightful! Funny, but it’s a lot easier for me to ASK questions like these than to answer them myself!