"Alright, I picked my mom this year and you picked Chantel (my sister)... we need to get them gifts this weekend."
"Yeah, but nobody else. That's the whole point of this 'picking one person in the family' thing that your family does."
"Oh, I know. Definitely only my mom and Chantel. Good thing you and I aren't exchanging gifts, eh?"
"Yeah... That's not actually going to happen though, is it?"
"Nope. I guess this is where I can tell you that I've already got you a couple of gifts, eh?"
*******************************
So last night, when I went to pick up Julie from work (I had stayed home sick again yesterday - damn energy-sucking flu thing) I had just enough energy to make a trip to the grocery store for the absolute essentials (milk, bread and ginger ale for my nausea) so I asked Julie if she minded making the stop. I have to ask her because I find that she HATES shopping for food and I can't even get her to stay with me and the cart and/or basket for more than two seconds before she's off searching for books or something to distract her from the fact that she's in a grocery store. So, with me being sick, I'm walking down aisles looking for anything that looks appetizing. I figured that with the weather being so freakin' cold and my not feeling well, we'd be locking down for the weekend. $75 worth of junk later (and the milk and bread and case of Canada Dry), we were on our way home. That's when Julie declares that we should definitely go check out the crafts store for Chantel's gift. Next to Michaels (the crafts store) is Staples and Home Sense and she decided we had to look in those as well.
Here's where the snowballing really begins...
The first store we went into was Staples. In there Julie stumbled across Rock Band for the Xbox. Chantel has a Xbox 360 and has borrowed Rock Band 2 from one of her friends a few times. I know she likes it a lot but she'd never get it for herself. Because of all of the new Rock Band variations that have come out lately, the first Rock Band has been greatly reduced. The entire package (drums, guitar, mic, game) that used to cost over $200 was on sale for $29.99. Score! I'm 99% sure she'll be absolutely thrilled with it, even though it's the first one and not one of the new ones. As Julie said on our way to the car, "I think I'll be in the running for sister-in-law of the year with this gift."
One down, one to go...
Now that Julie had found a gift for Chantel, I was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be getting some art supplies. The original plan was to get her a couple of canvases and some new brushes because she loves to paint but has trouble funding her hobby. We went into Michaels anyway to look at stuff and what do I find but this awesome wooden case with a top that opens up into a table top easel. Inside are a ton of oil, acrylic and water paints with medium sized canvases, brushes as well as oil pastels, etc. Perfect for my sister because she usually uses the coffee table which now has more than one paint streak on it. So... $73 later, Julie asks me what we're going to get my other sister, Samantha, now that we've bought Chantel two gifts.
One down, two to go...
After sighing heavily, we were off to Home Sense next door to find some inspiration. There we found a really nice Sagittarius candle and a voodoo doll to use on her boss (Sam just started a new job and she HATES her boss...). She likes a certain kind of chocolate that they sell a ton of at Christmas (I'm too lazy to look up the name of the chocolates) so we made a mental note to go to Wal-mart at some point and buy a box.
Two down, one to go...
I had got my mom a Galaga Hallmark ornament about a month ago (she loves that game and used to play it arcade style with her best friend back in the day) but aside from that, I was drawing blank for ideas. There's some pressure when it comes to buying gifts for your mom, I think. It's like you don't want to disappoint her. Anyway, our next stop was the liquor store where I picked up a bottle of Bailey's. She loves Bailey's so I know that's a good gift. Of course while we were there, we also picked up two bottles of wine, some beer and some amaretto for us, so $$$$$ later, we were back in the car. We decided we best go home because the groceries were freezing in the trunk and the backseat was now filled with gifts but made it as far as across the parking lot to the Swiss Chalet (gotta have the Festive Special at least once during the holiday season!). By the time we got home and made multiple trips from the parking garage to our apartment, I was beyond exhausted. Julie apparently was too because she passed out on the couch not long after we got home. I sucked up my exhaustion and wrapped everything except the Rock Band box because I ran out of wrapping paper.
Two down, 1/2 of a person to go...
We were super lazy today, lounging around reading and napping. Partly because I am still regaining my energy and partly because it's -30 outside. Around 6:30 this evening (looking at the clock, I realize it's now 12:30 am... so yesterday evening I suppose) we decided to go out to buy another roll of wrapping paper to wrap up the Rock Band box. I suggested that we also stop at Bath & Body Works to pick up Samantha this (Julie bought her refills for it for her birthday earlier this month and she informed us that she couldn't use them because her diffuser was broken so Julie promised to buy her a new one). Off we went and of course when we got to B&BW, we couldn't just get that one thing. We ended up getting some hand soap and body wash and spray and $50 later...
Two down, 1/2 of a person to go...
We arrived at Wal-mart and decided to split up to get the things we needed (Julie announced that she needed new trouser socks and of course the wrapping paper). Holy frakkin' hell... an hour and a half later... $260 damage done between the two of us.
Christmas-Guilt-Chain-Reaction-Thought-Process:
"I bought my sisters stuff and I didn't even pick their names. Now I feel bad that I'm not buying grandma & grandpa anything. Ooooh, I know. I'll get them some chocolates. They like getting boxes of chocolates. What kind should I get? I know they like After Eights. But look at how small the box is. I can't just give them this. Oooh, I know they like these chocolate covered cherry chocolates. But that doesn't seem like enough either. Oooh, here's this tube of Bailey's chocolates. They like those. Okay, three boxes of chocolate should do it."
Four down, 1/2 of a person to go...
A few aisles later...
"Damn... now that I have chocolates for grandma & grandpa, now I feel bad about not getting auntie anything (she lives in their basement). What the *hell* can I get her? Oooh, there's this neck massage thingy for $20. She'd definitely use it because she complains of neck/back pain quite often. Okay, that's good."
Five down, 1/2 of a person to go...
"What the hell am I going to get mom? Ooooh, look, outdoor Christmas lights. They have the blue LED lights that I've wanted."
A few aisles later...
"Finally, a barbeque cover!"
A few aisles later...
"I think I need this Adam Lambert CD..."
I'm sure you get the picture (if you haven't already fallen asleep or moved on to another blog). We did end up also getting the wrapping paper we originally left the house for, as well as socks for Julie, and three gifts for my mom.
Why do we even bother picking names for Christmas? Sigh...
So last night, when I went to pick up Julie from work (I had stayed home sick again yesterday - damn energy-sucking flu thing) I had just enough energy to make a trip to the grocery store for the absolute essentials (milk, bread and ginger ale for my nausea) so I asked Julie if she minded making the stop. I have to ask her because I find that she HATES shopping for food and I can't even get her to stay with me and the cart and/or basket for more than two seconds before she's off searching for books or something to distract her from the fact that she's in a grocery store. So, with me being sick, I'm walking down aisles looking for anything that looks appetizing. I figured that with the weather being so freakin' cold and my not feeling well, we'd be locking down for the weekend. $75 worth of junk later (and the milk and bread and case of Canada Dry), we were on our way home. That's when Julie declares that we should definitely go check out the crafts store for Chantel's gift. Next to Michaels (the crafts store) is Staples and Home Sense and she decided we had to look in those as well.
Here's where the snowballing really begins...
The first store we went into was Staples. In there Julie stumbled across Rock Band for the Xbox. Chantel has a Xbox 360 and has borrowed Rock Band 2 from one of her friends a few times. I know she likes it a lot but she'd never get it for herself. Because of all of the new Rock Band variations that have come out lately, the first Rock Band has been greatly reduced. The entire package (drums, guitar, mic, game) that used to cost over $200 was on sale for $29.99. Score! I'm 99% sure she'll be absolutely thrilled with it, even though it's the first one and not one of the new ones. As Julie said on our way to the car, "I think I'll be in the running for sister-in-law of the year with this gift."
One down, one to go...
Now that Julie had found a gift for Chantel, I was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be getting some art supplies. The original plan was to get her a couple of canvases and some new brushes because she loves to paint but has trouble funding her hobby. We went into Michaels anyway to look at stuff and what do I find but this awesome wooden case with a top that opens up into a table top easel. Inside are a ton of oil, acrylic and water paints with medium sized canvases, brushes as well as oil pastels, etc. Perfect for my sister because she usually uses the coffee table which now has more than one paint streak on it. So... $73 later, Julie asks me what we're going to get my other sister, Samantha, now that we've bought Chantel two gifts.
One down, two to go...
After sighing heavily, we were off to Home Sense next door to find some inspiration. There we found a really nice Sagittarius candle and a voodoo doll to use on her boss (Sam just started a new job and she HATES her boss...). She likes a certain kind of chocolate that they sell a ton of at Christmas (I'm too lazy to look up the name of the chocolates) so we made a mental note to go to Wal-mart at some point and buy a box.
Two down, one to go...
I had got my mom a Galaga Hallmark ornament about a month ago (she loves that game and used to play it arcade style with her best friend back in the day) but aside from that, I was drawing blank for ideas. There's some pressure when it comes to buying gifts for your mom, I think. It's like you don't want to disappoint her. Anyway, our next stop was the liquor store where I picked up a bottle of Bailey's. She loves Bailey's so I know that's a good gift. Of course while we were there, we also picked up two bottles of wine, some beer and some amaretto for us, so $$$$$ later, we were back in the car. We decided we best go home because the groceries were freezing in the trunk and the backseat was now filled with gifts but made it as far as across the parking lot to the Swiss Chalet (gotta have the Festive Special at least once during the holiday season!). By the time we got home and made multiple trips from the parking garage to our apartment, I was beyond exhausted. Julie apparently was too because she passed out on the couch not long after we got home. I sucked up my exhaustion and wrapped everything except the Rock Band box because I ran out of wrapping paper.
Two down, 1/2 of a person to go...
We were super lazy today, lounging around reading and napping. Partly because I am still regaining my energy and partly because it's -30 outside. Around 6:30 this evening (looking at the clock, I realize it's now 12:30 am... so yesterday evening I suppose) we decided to go out to buy another roll of wrapping paper to wrap up the Rock Band box. I suggested that we also stop at Bath & Body Works to pick up Samantha this (Julie bought her refills for it for her birthday earlier this month and she informed us that she couldn't use them because her diffuser was broken so Julie promised to buy her a new one). Off we went and of course when we got to B&BW, we couldn't just get that one thing. We ended up getting some hand soap and body wash and spray and $50 later...
Two down, 1/2 of a person to go...
We arrived at Wal-mart and decided to split up to get the things we needed (Julie announced that she needed new trouser socks and of course the wrapping paper). Holy frakkin' hell... an hour and a half later... $260 damage done between the two of us.
Christmas-Guilt-Chain-Reaction-Thought-Process:
"I bought my sisters stuff and I didn't even pick their names. Now I feel bad that I'm not buying grandma & grandpa anything. Ooooh, I know. I'll get them some chocolates. They like getting boxes of chocolates. What kind should I get? I know they like After Eights. But look at how small the box is. I can't just give them this. Oooh, I know they like these chocolate covered cherry chocolates. But that doesn't seem like enough either. Oooh, here's this tube of Bailey's chocolates. They like those. Okay, three boxes of chocolate should do it."
Four down, 1/2 of a person to go...
A few aisles later...
"Damn... now that I have chocolates for grandma & grandpa, now I feel bad about not getting auntie anything (she lives in their basement). What the *hell* can I get her? Oooh, there's this neck massage thingy for $20. She'd definitely use it because she complains of neck/back pain quite often. Okay, that's good."
Five down, 1/2 of a person to go...
"What the hell am I going to get mom? Ooooh, look, outdoor Christmas lights. They have the blue LED lights that I've wanted."
A few aisles later...
"Finally, a barbeque cover!"
A few aisles later...
"I think I need this Adam Lambert CD..."
I'm sure you get the picture (if you haven't already fallen asleep or moved on to another blog). We did end up also getting the wrapping paper we originally left the house for, as well as socks for Julie, and three gifts for my mom.
Why do we even bother picking names for Christmas? Sigh...
3 comments:
Thank you for leaving out my innocent trip to CostCo that ended in the present I wasn't supposed to get you. Oh and the spice rack I bought there full of spices we can not even pronouce. So yes . . . it started with an interac card . . . never thought it would come to this . . . it occured to me as I was having some lazy time on the beloved couch: one of your sisters has a boyfriend who will be there for the Yule - you think he will go for a macaroni covered yogurt pot for say - pens? Who doesn't like a desk tidy . . . all we need is glue. Oh and rent money ;)
hahaha it's so true though. we really have limited ourselves to only buying for those in the gift exchange for angele's family. i hate how expensive christmas can be and we're limited financially this year so too bad for anyone who wants a whole lot from us...it isn't happening.
but shopping is dangerous--you always look around to see what else you want...not necessarily what you need.
Yeah, and it is amazing how a whole bunch of little things add up to a big bill at the cash register!
I am very glad that we found a barbeque cover in the middle of December though (about the only thing we bought that we actually NEEDED) - it was actually in the same aisle as the Christmas decorations at Wal-mart. I was really worried about the barbeque rusting or getting damaged by the snow out on the patio this winter.
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