X-mas 2019

[snafu]

I discovered that I've misplaced a gift for my mom and stuff for the stockings!

and

[snafu]

DH found the stuff -whew

[LucyVanPelt]

Glad DH found the gifts, snafu!

I thought I was mostly finished shopping, but when I went to wrap YDS' GF's gift, I realized I made a HUGE mistake! She's a tiny girl. I bought her a cute little sweater dress and a Sherpa cardigan to go over it. When I went to wrap her presents, I realized the cardigan was on the wrong hanger. It was not a small like the hanger said, but an XL. I'm so glad I found it before I gave it to her or it would have been an "And then the fight started..." kind of Christmas!

[snafu]

Merry X-mas & Happy Holidays!!!

[LucyVanPelt]

Happy New Year, snafu!

[rattlesnake]

Hope you all had a nice Christmas and best wishes for the New Year! I mentioned that I had already got my grandkids the one gift I was allowed to get them.

Before Christmas, my son took on an extra job (he works long hours as a mechanic as it is). I asked him why and he said to make some "Christmas money."


Things have been quite strained with my son over the past couple of years but as always, I only want presence from my children, not presents. He did come over on Christmas Eve with my two grandchildren, but declined his invitation to dinner (extended to his wife as well) at an expensive restaurant, as his sister from out of town was home to join us. So he provided some presence (on Christmas Eve) but did not bring any gifts for anyone, which is fine and not expected.

When I saw my grandkids later after Christmas I asked the usual: what did they get from all their grandparents, from mom and dad, etc? Well, my GS said he got some hotwheels cars from his dad and stepmom. These cost about a dollar each but GS likes them so that is fine, really except I wonder where all the Christmas money went. I asked GD what she got and she said she doesn't know yet because she had to stay in her room while they opened presents because she had been "bad." I asked her what she did, and she says she doesn't want to talk about it and it was something that happened on some other day, before Christmas.

My son was not like this before he married her. The kids are normal kids with some issues and sometimes they misbehave (I believe most of what they get in trouble with at their household is squabbling with each other, interrupting, not being silent enough in church, and stuff like that. They were punished in that household for GD getting a C along with As and Bs on her report card, and GS got a D+ along with As, Bs, and Cs on his. My husband tells me he was literally beaten for bad report cards when he was a kid. And guess what? I didn't help him do better in school.

[LucyVanPelt]

rattlesnake, my heart breaks for your GC. I'm so sorry.

You know that presence is more important than presents. Do that as much as you can for your GCs.

Hoping that 2020 brings a better year for them and for you!

[rattlesnake]

Lucy,

Thanks. My heart breaks for them too but I guess I have to be tough like they have to be and realize that their weekends will generally be unpleasant, but the rest of their lives hopefully won't be so bad, thanks to their mother and to my H and I.