Posts Tagged ‘presents’

Kids’ Christmas Shopping

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Many years ago, before I had kids of my own, I used to take my niece, then about 6 or 7 years old, Christmas shopping.  I gave her a modest budget and let her pick out gifts for her brother, her parents and grandparents, and my wife.  We’d get half a dozen presents and spend about twenty dollars or so.  Fast forward about ten years and she’s quite capable of doing her own holiday shopping.

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The Gift of a Year

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

I think I’ve finally learned not to begin doing something unless I am willing to keep doing that same thing for the rest of my life.  About 7 or 8 years ago, I started a tradition that has me staying up late at night, working all weekend, and generally running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  A very stressed out headless chicken.  And yet, I keep doing the same thing every year — because my in-laws say it’s the best gift they get.

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Zero-Maintenance Pets

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

While we were on holiday this past summer, I noticed an advert playing in heavy rotation on whatever kids’ television station they had on in the dining room of the hotel where they served the free breakfast each morning.  At the time, it seemed like one of those annoying, over-priced, “as seen on TV” products that we’re all used to being disappointed by, should we be foolish enough to purchase one.  Fast forward to the advent of the year-end begging-for-toys season and I’m dreaming of the relative peace of blaring television ads.  Yes, my kids want Pillow Pets.

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Pre-School Presents

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

So your precious darling has started pre-school and one day he or she brings home an invitation to a birthday party.  One of their little friends is turning a year older and, naturally, they want your brilliant and funny life-of-the-party to be, well, the life of their party.  But then there’s the dilemma of the present.  It’s not so much what to get as it is how much to spend.

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