Do your parents still buy you Christmas gifts?

I talked to a friend who has a similar situation with his parents. He's an analyst who clears $250K a year and his parents are retired teachers. He asks them for Amazon gift cards for Christmas and his birthday and he uses those on his kids. He doesn't offend his parents, his kids are the beneficiaries... Everybody wins.

 

I already posted that both my parents give money. I forgot to add that my father cuts and pastes his journal entries that have our names in them. It's not as nostalgic as it sounds, because he's a very literal person.

It's kind of funny because it's just so stupid. I am the only one of the four adult kids who reads it (I've asked), and I'm probably the one who communicates with them more, so mine's usually longer.

This year's had 97 entries. Here's a sampling:

Tue - Kjim called. She said she was tired of the cold and snow.

Thu - Zippy made it in about 10:30 PM and said Heather was in a asylum in Jacksonville. Zippy called Kjim with the news.

Wed - Ordered 4 more rollers for Kjim's Elliptic Stepper exercise machine.

Sat - Helped Zippy burn her old mattresses and move Kjim's to her bed.

Sun - Kjim called.

Tue - Kjim got up early and carried Mackenzie to school.

Fri - Zippy and Kjim gone most of the day.

 

Yes, but that also means that on occasion our parents dismiss what we might really, really want because, after all, we're their children.

I would love to have a less stressful holiday season. I'd like to not have to plan out BOTH what my wife and I are going to get my kids BUT ALSO what my mother is going to get them. I'd like to not have to write in my daily planner reminders to contact my mother to let her know that gift XYZ has arrived but gift PDQ hasn't (and, then, to run through the permutations of responses for that ridiculously unlikely circumstance in which PDQ doesn't arrive).

Many of you guys busting DW's chops here apparently have never been married or had children. Because if you're a parent of adult children (who celebrate Christmas), THE ABSOLUTE PERFECT gift is the gift of lowered holiday torment. Remember THAT and one day you're going to make your children very, very, very happy.

 

My parents double whammy the spoiling of my children and my wife and me. I estimated that they probably gave my wife and me close to $500 worth of goods yesterday. Good thing much of it we can use. But it's so unnecessary. Then there's the kids. I think they gave the kids more stuff than we gave the kids. It definitely took us longer to open presents at their house than it did at hours. I sort of shook my head through the whole process.

There is all the aforementioned planning so that you don't get the same things, and my parents always seem to venture off the list ever so slightly and it ends up disappointing someone. Not to mention my mom likes to think outside the box and get people things that she just shouldn't have gotten. Yesterday it was stilts. Freaking stilts. For the two older boys. My oldest, who could give two craps about such a thing, hasn't even thought about them. Yet, she told me, all he wants is books, I thought I'd get him something more. And all he's done the past two days is read his new books. The other son is adventurous and broke them out right away. Yet he's never tried stilts before. So he spent the better part of an hour crying over how they wouldn't work. Then she told me, I hope you're not mad I got them stilts. Sigh.

Still, they love giving that way. Always have. It makes them happy. My dad's favorite term on Christmas is, "I think everyone had a good Christmas." He says it over and over. I have a hard time putting the foot down as a result of their joy.

 

What really pisses me off is when my parents give me birthday presents.

 

You just made me miss YGBFKM.

 

"Jeez mom...quit with the hugs and kisses....don't you get the hint? I don't call, I try not to visit....hell, I sent you that cease and desist letter last month. KNOCK IT OFF!"

 

Yes, and it's never crossed my mind to be upset about it. When I was a little kid, I remember my dad telling me that he grew up poor and he worked hard to get an education so he could always do nice things for his kids.

He usually gives me $500 and then his wife has a couple of small gifts for me to open on Christmas morning. I am always appreciative and will never get mad if he stops. But, in the mean time, I will continue to enjoy the gifts I get on Christmas. I am thankful to have a family that is loving and has the ability to be so generous around the holidays.