Andrea and I had a chance to go Christmas shopping together this morning. We needed to get her daddy some presents without him along. We looked for stocking stuffers and other stuff as well. Of course I won't detail any of it here, because Rob reads my journal. I also picked out the gift I wanted Andrea to buy for me. I'm not telling because it's my secret until Christmas day.
We're not getting Dufus anything because he's been a bad bird lately. Right now he's inside my shirt trying to get the underwire in my bra loose. I make him stop, but he goes after it again in a few minutes. He hasn't bitten since the other day. I think he got the idea when I wouldn't hold him.
Christmas seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. A lot of people are in such a hurry to buy their gifts and to get the right one that they become rude and obnoxious. Others couldn't be nicer. I've often wondered where we went so wrong with Christmas giving? Who was it that decided that children needed everything they asked for and huge gifts were the norm? When I was in my early teens, I was getting ready to fold the clothes at the laundromat for my mom. I first looked at my things and then at hers. Her underwear was clean, but old. The elastic was nearly gone. Many of her blouses were ones she'd had forever. Then I looked at my things. Mom sewed a lot of my clothes, but I also had fairly nice things from the store. By this time, my sisters were gone from the house and we were a twosome. Mom gave up the nice things so that I might have them. I felt so guilty. I was spoiled and she did get me many of the things I said I really wanted. That year for Christmas, I saved up my money and bought her new underwear to put in her stocking and some cologne that she particularly liked. The tears in her eyes gave me the best Christmas gift I could ever have gotten.
This is not only day 7 of the December Challenge, but also Pearl Harbor Day. I want to take time to remember the heroes who lost their lives and to honor those who fought in that war. We are free today because of men and women who fought then and fight now.
Be blessed today, my friends,
Penny
11 comments:
What a great entry! I'm cracking up about the bird, though! How do you tolerate that?!!? And I agree with you, the commercialism of Christmas has really gotten to everyone! I even find myself more impatient while shopping--I really should be better about it! And how thoughtful of you, to get your mom those things...It was probably her favorite Christmas..
Hugs,
xoxo
Heather
Dufus is really being a dufus!!!
That was so kind to get your mum the things she really needed. Let's not forget Pearl Harbor, I was in Hawaii last year and learnt of the bravery of those men. Also saw all the ships that were sunk and still lie at the bottom of the harbor, so sad. Hope the shopping wasn't too bad this morning, I hate crowded shops!! Jeannette.
Penny,
Unfortunately, the generation of baby-boomers who experienced prosperity in the 80's and nineties spoiled their kids rotten.
At least I did. I did it because I had so little as a child and I wanted more for my own kids. I regret that today.
I think that my own children will have far less than what they grew up with as a result of the American debt and current economy. So perhaps the entitlement trend will eventually reverse itself.
It's always tough to end up with less after having more, however. So God help and bless my kids...
Take care,
Maryanne
Oh sweet Penny, I can tell you were a loving and giving child!! That is so wonderful what you did for your mother that it brings a tear to my eye and touches my soul. Thank you so much for sharing. This is a particularly hard year for us with slow in business and it's a hard time but we have food and shelter and I am so thankful for that. God watches over us. Most of all He has given me the desire to keep fighting, keep working, keep trying. I see homeless people and I see how they have given up for one reason or another and my heart just goes out to them.
Lisa
Yes, it is a shame today that children often think about what they can get from their parents more than what they can give.
For a memory today I think about these cookies I used to make. My mom named them "sandy cookies" because they had a sandy texture. They had raspberry jam in the center. They were my specialty cookies. Nothing like those holiday sandy cookies!
Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink
Glad you two had a nice shopping day ! I'm glad you mentioned Pearl Harbor Day. I visited the monument this past May, and it is a very moving and emotional experience. God bless all our men and women in uniform for their selfless efforts on our behalf. Tina http://journals.aol.com/onemoretina/Ridealongwithme
what a wonderful memory you wrote about today! Moms are so special! I know my mom gave up a lot for us and sacrificed.
Glad you had a good shopping day; it feels so good to be productive like that and get things done.
My tradition today is actually a memory from somethng my mom said about her Christmases before she got married but I remember it when I'm decorating my tree.
She and her family were poor growing up. When she finally got a job and could buy a Christmas tree and all the bulbs and ornaments, they put the tree up. They forgot though to even out the tree and put ornaments on the back of the tree so in the middle of the night they heard a big thump. The tree had been front heavy and toppled over. It broke a lot of the bulbs (glass ones from the late 1940s/early 1950s). After they cleaned up the mess and the stores opened the next day they went and bought bulbs to replace what had broken.
Now each year when I decorate I always remember this story and make sure the tree is evenly decorated.
enjoy!
betty
I think its wonderful you have those memories with your mom. You will teach Andrea the same values. Love, lisa
Penny~You've got me on a memory roll. When we were young Dad took us shopping to pick out gifts for Mom and each other. We had at the most $2 each! I remember buying Mom some marzipan fruit candy and my brother announced that he bought her a diahrea! (diary) ;-) Sassy
http://journals.aol.com/debbted/SassysSecondWord
Do you remember that perfume, Evening in Paris? That beautiful blue bottle with the gold label? And the awful stink? My father used to take us shopping for my mother. We would head to Woolworth's downtown and he would give each of us a few dollars for shopping. My poor mother! Every year I bought her Evening in Paris. And she made such a big deal of my gift when she opened it! But here's the thing -- my mother wore not a lick of lipstick, blush, or perfume -- ever!
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