It’s that time of year. The time where I have to produce the dreaded Christmas list. I know I’m going to sound like a whiny brat, because I realize that I’m incredibly privileged and spoiled. Some people don’t have money for food or heat or medicine, and I whine about having to produce a list of things I’d like (not need) for my family to purchase for me.
That said, it’s a stressful process. I want to put interesting stuff on there - things I’d actually use or like to have. And I do have a few things - I would like a kleen kanteen, and the new Susan Boyle CD (is it any good, though? I haven’t heard). But...that’s pretty much all I can think of. Throw in family members with vastly different budgets for Christmas (like $10 v $100 or more) and it gets tricky. Very tricky.
In fact, I still have birthday money left over, and I’m not sure what to do with that, either. Dave and I would love love love to take a trip to Scotland at some point, and due to wedding gifts, we have a fair amount saved up. Part of me would like to put my birthday money into our Scotland fund, but Dave’s opposed to the idea - which I understand. He wants me to use my birthday money for something fun for me. In past years, I’ve used birthday money for much-needed clothing, but I’m in a position now where I don’t really need to do that (yes, spoiled, I know).
In theory, gift money like this should be used to pamper oneself, right? So how do I go about doing that??? I really feel like I have enough “stuff” - enough yarn, plenty of reading material, things like that. I’d like to invest the money somehow - not in the stock market sense (it’s not THAT much money), but in the “investing in myself” sense. A class of some kind? Yoga studio membership for a month? Career counseling?
Barring that, maybe I should donate it. There are people who need it more than I do, that’s for sure. And I guess I did donate some of it to the APW pledge drive. I don’t know...it was given generously by my family for me to enjoy, and I really, really appreciate that. I feel like a total brat for not figuring out a way to enjoy it. And at the same time, I feel like an even bigger brat for needing to figure out what to tell these same people to get me for Christmas! Urg, I just can’t win.
That said, it’s a stressful process. I want to put interesting stuff on there - things I’d actually use or like to have. And I do have a few things - I would like a kleen kanteen, and the new Susan Boyle CD (is it any good, though? I haven’t heard). But...that’s pretty much all I can think of. Throw in family members with vastly different budgets for Christmas (like $10 v $100 or more) and it gets tricky. Very tricky.
In fact, I still have birthday money left over, and I’m not sure what to do with that, either. Dave and I would love love love to take a trip to Scotland at some point, and due to wedding gifts, we have a fair amount saved up. Part of me would like to put my birthday money into our Scotland fund, but Dave’s opposed to the idea - which I understand. He wants me to use my birthday money for something fun for me. In past years, I’ve used birthday money for much-needed clothing, but I’m in a position now where I don’t really need to do that (yes, spoiled, I know).
In theory, gift money like this should be used to pamper oneself, right? So how do I go about doing that??? I really feel like I have enough “stuff” - enough yarn, plenty of reading material, things like that. I’d like to invest the money somehow - not in the stock market sense (it’s not THAT much money), but in the “investing in myself” sense. A class of some kind? Yoga studio membership for a month? Career counseling?
Barring that, maybe I should donate it. There are people who need it more than I do, that’s for sure. And I guess I did donate some of it to the APW pledge drive. I don’t know...it was given generously by my family for me to enjoy, and I really, really appreciate that. I feel like a total brat for not figuring out a way to enjoy it. And at the same time, I feel like an even bigger brat for needing to figure out what to tell these same people to get me for Christmas! Urg, I just can’t win.
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