photo by ninjapoodles
About a month ago I sent my college kids an email asking them what they wanted for Christmas.
For those of you with small children – one thing you will learn as your children get older is that the items on their Christmas wish list get more expensive in direct correlation to their age!! Gone are the good old days when we could surround the tree with gifts only costing $20.00 or less!
Feeling the effects of the economy, as many of you are I am sure, I decided to give my children some guidelines for their Christmas Wish List this year. I asked each of them to tell me….
Something you Want
Something you Need
Some kind of Toy
Something to Read
I thought you might enjoy the list I got back from my 24 year old son!
Something you Want – a new car
Something you Need -a woman
Some kind of Toy – a boat
Something to Read – a church history book
I quickly learned that I needed to set even tighter guidelines – I needed to give them a budget to work with! None of the items on his list except the book fell within his budget!
Each year my kids ask my husband what he wants for Christmas.
Each year his response is the same…
“Children who obey”
He pretty much gets what he wants every year – give or take! :)
Thought I’d share a photo of what’s waiting for me….
Yes, those are my Christmas decorations ready and waiting for me to “deck the halls!!”
How many boxes of decorations do you have??
Tomorrow I kick off my Virtual Cookie Exchange – be sure and check back!!
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I think we have 5 or 6 by now.
Ethan’s teacher sent home a note asking me what I want for Christmas b/c they are going shopping at a local mall. I taught him “Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards man.” His first question? “Could you wear that?”
The first responder reminds me of the internet story that went around awhile back about an elderly mother’s response to “What would you like for Christmas? She always told her children, “Peace and Love and a tea towel.” I remember telling my children that story one year, after which I received from one of my daughters two tea towels, hand embroidered with the words “Peace” and “Love”.
Happy holidays…
LOL “A woman” that’s too funny, and very typical of a man. Heck, my husband will probably give those same answers and he already has one!
How willing is Logan to really let you pick out a woman for him? Maybe he should be careful what he asks for or he might spend all his Christmas vacation on blind dates? I think I’ll post my kids wish lists on my blog. They were kind enough to draw pictures and explain which toys really existed and which ones were in their imaginations. (For once, Logan’s imagination might have exceeded my 8 year olds!)
Where exactly do you get that gift for your husband? Because that’s on my list every year too, but I never get it.
Michelle – Sometimes I think it would be easier if we lived in one of those countries that still has “arranged marriages”. At least as a parent I think it’s a good idea. Not sure I would have thought it was a good idea when I was younger!
Vegiemom – Don’t you have an Obedient Child Store near you?
I love love love the 24 year old boy’s request:
Something you Need -a woman
Hey, you asked! He’s being honest!
I have about 12 boxes and more odd sized things that don’t fit in the boxes. I agree about the “arranged marriages.” Would like to do one for one of my sons. . . . . .
I only have about eight boxes. But everythings already put up. My little 4 year old called me his “best Christmas mommy” It’s fun to have my litle caboos baby enjoying Christmas. The decorations have been up for days but just tonight my 15 year old came in and said ” wow,you decorated” nice of him to finally notice.
Let me think… There are 5 boxes of lights (outdoor lights) and 9 boxes of decorations… (organized by tree color scheme….or theme) This year is a new tree idea… I’m doing an Art Deco theme with black, ivory and gold… Last year it was burgandy and gold and the year before was Coca Cola… I will be putting the Coca Cola decorations up in the kitchen this year on a ornament hanger…
Wow that’s a lot of decorations. Luckily I have only one box of Hanukkah stuff. When I converted I donated all my ornaments and tree to the church. My kids still get to celebrate Christmas but only at my parents house. Their Santa list goes to my mom.
I know I am a bit late in posting a comment, but this is so comical and true in all the same ways I struggle with my own children.
Still laughing.
Good luck with all those boxes. I do a little over a week and eventually get through all the boxes…but it does seem so daunting at times.