Santa is sneaking up...


Christmas is just around the corner and I can barely breath. Spending money makes me hold my breath. Whether or not it is a little money or ALOT, I get stressed. I worried when we upgraded our car, in order to fit our whole family. I worried when we bought our house. I have a love/ hate relationship with money.


I hate to cut things close, even though we live pay-check to paycheck. So you can imagine how emotional I get when unforeseen events happen - Lance's truck needing fixed, my dryer going out, and Christmas.


I KNOW Christmas is not unforeseen - it happens every year, and every year I stress over trying to get it all done. Trying to get gifts and not go broke. Christmas seems to cost more each year, therefore I consider it unforeseen. The list of people gets longer, once again unforeseen.


*Does it really cost more, or am I just trying to 'please' everyone. Perhaps a bit of both. The older my children get the more expensive gifts they want. In addition, my husband is 30 something stuck in a 12 yr olds mind-set. He wants a Wii or Playstation 3, plus games, a dorm fridge for beer, and a shop vac. Aside from the shop vac, the other gifts are off the table. I fear he many never grow up.


Lance likes to spend money on Christmas, he likes to spend ALOT of money on Christmas. He feels like the more money you spend the happier the people will be with what you bought them. That is a result of his childhood, hence, my love/hate relationship with money is a result of my childhood.

My parents fought over money, they had BIG fights over spending money, lying about money, how it should be spent, when it should be spent etc. Money was the core of their disputes 95% of the time. That could be why I hold my breath every time I spend it. Lance and i are very open about what we spend and where - no lying, no hiding and always communicating.

So yesterday I got paid, paid our bills and then did a little more Christmas shopping. When my kids were down stairs I lead Lance to the car to show him the additional items I had picked up. I was really excited to show him some of the things I had gotten. He looked at all of the item and then said, ' you are cheap-skate'.

I was livid. Are you kidding me..' these are good gifts'.

He said ' you could have spent more than $8.00 on a gift'.

Me ' why? The gift is a great gift and at a great price'.


So as Santa sneaks up on me, I continue to hold my breath. I am trying to please everyone on a budget. I am of the opinion that if you really gauge your present based on the cost, rather than the intent than you have lost the spirit of Christmas.


I intent to buy gifts that I think you will enjoy, and if I can find them at Dollar General score for me!


My son is going to love his 8.00 remote control car, and my daughter will love her 1.00 princess shoes ; regardless of the price. They will notice that the car is black with really big tires and the princess shoes are pink and shiny. They will not notice that the gifts are missing the brand name sticker, which would cost me an additional arm and leg.


Ba-humbug. Santa I could use another month.....anyway we can work that out?

Comments

Farrell said…
Another month for paying bills? Credit cards!
Also I think it's been documented that money issues is among the #1 or #2 reason people get divorced.
I too live paycheck to paycheck and as a single mother always worry about affording christmas. For your little one, she won't care; she is easy to please. My daughter's favorite toys are the dollar store cars and balls; not the expensive stuff. why bother at their young age? And when she wants the expensive stuff, I'll tell her to bat her eyes at Daddy:)
Farrell said…
Also, for your little girl, check out once upon a child. Used children's store. it's awesome.

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