Making a list, and checking it twice
When it comes to making lists, Santa has nothing on me. I am the consummate list maker: grocery lists, menu lists, invitation lists, to do lists. I even make lists for members of my family, which aren’t always appreciated. But the biggest list I make every year is my Christmas list.
Now my Christmas list involves more than who’s naughty and nice. It quite detailed, including not only a price point next to each person’s name, but a budget for Holiday incidentals, like wrapping paper, tree, food, alcohol, and decorations – read wasteful impulse buys.
I completed this year’s list before Thanksgiving, and was quite impressed by my bottom line. Two weeks later my list isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. It seems that while my head understands the economic situation facing our country, my finger that hits the order button on Amazon isn’t paying attention.
According to my latest calculations, I will end up spending the same, or more, as last year. “Call me irresponsible…”
BTW, we should probably keep this post between ourselves. Why ruin Mr. Pandora’s day by telling him that the list hanging on the refrigerator is about as accurate as 700 billion dollar bail-out.
Tags: Holidays
As far as our Christmas list is going, we’re doing very well in keeping it lean. The only one in our family who would be getting extravagant gifts is our soon-to-be eleven year-old, but it will not be as extravagant as years past.
Geesh Pandora–That’s not irresponsible, that’s American.
I’m so ashamed.
But… maybe I can spin this. Maybe my spending from years past was already responsibly frugal?
Think Mr. Pandora will buy it?
Perhaps the whole list-making deal indicates an obsessive-compulsive disorder. 🙂 But, then again, the compulsive part would only follow if you stuck to said lists.
That said, just where am I on your Christmas list?
Given the number of people on my list you could very well be on it!
So, we agreed this year that we would do a Secret Santa drawing and stick with it. Instead of having to shower ten members of the family with gifts, we’d have stockings for everyone and then we’d each receive one very nice gift. Except we’re getting gift creep. I’ve found several things that cried out to be gifted to a certain family member and I’m hearing the same from others. Still, I think the livingroom will look less like an explosion at Macy’s this year. Maybe? Gosh America is a marketing giant.
Pandora dear, You MUST let Mr. P know all the money you are SAVING him, by purchasing while there are these unprecedented pre-holiday sales. It would be the right and honest thing to do. So get out there, and keep saving!!!
I’m viewing my shopping as patriotic. I am doing my part to help the economy.
Joanne that’s funny. My grandmother was a sale purchaser. She’d come home with three items because they were on sale. She liked saving money. 😉
This year’s actual gift list is pretty lean, which is especially good for me since holiday shopping is really bad for me — I tend to buy one gift for someone, then one gift for me; one gift for another, one gift for me — you get the idea. Most of the gifts on my list are for kids.
This year we are concentrating on spending quality time with one another over multiple memorable (we hope) meals (homemade or out) with lots of alcohol. And we are all pretty great cooks too, so there is a double bonus.
We are donating personal hygiene items to the Sussex County AIDS Council in the name of those adults we’d normally buy gifts for – instead of giving them gifts. The only ones that get gifts are kids – meaning my 14 year old son. We have every intention to sticking to this – though, who knows…
Last year, at Mat’s suggestion, our entire family decided not to exchange gifts (with the exception of small gifts for my sister’s 2- and 4-year old.) It was the best Christmas EVER. There was absolutely no stress or pressure at all, not to mention the lack of enormous credit card bills in January. It was like a second Thanksgiving. I would encourage all of you to give it a go.