Oh What Fun

By Karen Balice-Gregory





I am one of those “buy all year but finish up at the last minute” people. I love a good bargain so it's nice to shop after the holidays and then look for things during the year that are unique. Things get bagged up and piled in my laundry room and before I know it the holidays are upon us and I don't really know what I have. The last week before Christmas I begin to sort and try to figure out what gift is for whom, how much it cost (roughly), and whether or not I have spent about the same amount of money on everyone. I used to laugh at my mother because she would worry that she may have spent more on one person or the other and then begin to even things up...as if we could figure out the price or even care. The last several years of my father's life he would present us with a special gift of jewelry that he picked out for us girls and that was always (and still is) very special to us. Mom's gifts were usually more practical because she tried to take notice of the necessities lacking in our lives. In my case there was much more need than want so she had difficulty prioritizing the choices.

Of the three grandsons, Miles will be the only one that understands the gift routine and boy is he excited. His list is pretty short and scattered: swords (I unwittingly began playing swords with our flyswatters here and we had to quit after breaking a couple of them), a “spyscope” like the one that Diego uses on t.v. (naturally, no one sells little toy telescopes anymore or at least I haven't been able to find one yet), a tuba (no one knows why he wants one or even where he saw one except maybe on the football field during halftime and needless to say I haven't spotted one of those in miniature either), a screw driver (Lord knows he hasn't seen any of us use that tool very often but he thinks he needs one), and of course he wants anything that has to do with any sport involving a ball. Even though he has dozens of balls in every size, shape and color he wants more. We use wrapping paper cardboard tubes for swords right now and paper towel and toilet paper tubes for spyscopes but he still wants the real thing. I'm looking for a referee shirt also because he is very enamored with the refs at the ball games. Against my better judgment I have already given him a whistle for all of his “pretend” games with all of his “pretend” friends.

Jude (8 mos) and Kavaun (3 mos) are unaware of the Holiday. Of course that has not stopped me from trying to find them things that they just can't live without. I spend a lot of time with these kids and despite the fact that they have far more than they can ever use, there is always something else that they must have. Intellectually I know that they actually have more fun with common items that they find laying around the house, but emotionally I still want to find things that will make them laugh, jump, cuddle, and frankly, keep them occupied for long periods of time. It should be many years before they stop loving me unconditionally or are able to rack up prices in their little heads so I plan to take advantage of that for now.

As for all the other holiday stresses...cards, family and friends gifts, dishes to pass, wrapping, shopping,
and just getting everywhere in one piece and having money and time left over? I never do well with any of it because I procrastinate. If there is one thing that I plan to fix about myself (among so many) in the new year it will be that, but I'll save the ruminating until next week. Enjoy the Holidays.