No matter how you try to prevent it a Divorce sucks up your money. So when Christmas came around I wasn’t sure Santa was going to make much of an impact this year for my kids. And I KNEW it was going to be a much less one for me!
But I completely forgot about my friends and family… and boy did they surprise me.
My dearest friend Eithne (who’s worse off than me when it comes to money) managed to buy something completely within her budget and STILL completely perfect for me! A new ornament for my tree, something I like to do every year and didn’t do this year as it seemed frivolous AND a 10 nail polish kit with portable manicure set. I genuinely love it!
My sister, my brother, my father & his wife and my mom, all sent money that I was able to buy the kids almost everything off their list that they wanted. They were ecstatic! Even when they frowned as they opened mine which was a box of clothes (thank you Goodwill!) with Lottery Scratchers inside. Luke loved the clothes and Conor managed to win $50!
But I didn’t have an extra un-opened “Santa” gift for the kids. You know, the “big” present your parents usually give you. I just couldn’t afford any such item. I was hoping they’d reached the age they no longer needed Santa gifts, even though Conor insisted on leaving cookies & milk out for Santa (like she needed the CALORIES!! bitching the whole way of having to pour the milk BACK into the carton) .
Apparently no-Santa-gift was unacceptable to my mother. She tottles over at 9:30 pm with a “Santa gift for the boys,” she tells me. I had no idea WHAT she had that she couldn’t “hide” in the trunk of my car for me to put out when they were asleep. I was truly baffled until I saw her and her cohort neighbor haul a flat screen 32″ t.v. box out of her back seat.
O. M. G. !! Over-board! Too much! and a quiet.. YIPPEEE!!
Her neighbor sets it up while she explains that my brother, A Prop Master on a t.v. show (Raising Hope.. watch it.. its very, very good!) got this for cheap off a set. So it’s not as extravagant as it seems. But oh.. it WAS perfect!
See, Id been contemplating upgrading my t.v. to one that can access my wireless. Since my kids tend to watch their favorite shows online when they finish whats been recorded (and I certainly can do the same) I could possibly cut my expensive cable bill completely out of my life if I had a t.v. that could access the internet. I just couldn’t decide which I wanted to do first, cut off the cable and use the savings to get the t.v. or get the t.v. first.
After all, hardship doesn’t damage my kids, it just makes them whinier.
But thanks to Santa I didn’t have to make that choice. And its another example of the spirit of giving we try to celebrate at Christmas. Because if you think about it… being able to GIVE to others is just as, if not more, rewarding than receiving.
Although receiving feels pretty damn good, too!