Shhh…. I have a secret

Ah, the holiday season. When parents everywhere, especially moms, find panic and expectation wherever they look.

You know what I mean: the moms haunting the malls and the big chain stores, looking for that perfect present at first. Then a present that will do, and finally a present found in desperation that might be on the fringes of what a person is interested in.

As my daughter told me: “Sometimes when an interest is expressed, even one time, people grab onto that with both hands, and that is what you are known for forever, and 80% of the gifts you receive after that are of that theme.”

That is true. She expressed an interest in Hello Kitty when she was 8 and is still getting Hello Kitty themed stuff at 36. We were discussing this because I have a brother in-law that liked(s?) Big Foot. So, we ran with the theme. Now he thinks we are making fun of him. We aren’t. We were trying to support his interests.

The problem is now: What the hell do I do now? He is the person I have left to find a gift for.

The man is in his 70’s and they are presently trying to downsize, so he doesn’t want “stuff that they will have to find a home for when they move to the retirement village”.

Swell. Just swell.

I get it I do. I mean we are going to do some ‘Swedish Death Cleaning’ soon too. We have way to much stuff.

But that doesn’t help my current problem. What do I do for a present?

Plus we just discovered that our second youngest child (yeah, he’s 31) and his fiancé will be joining us for Christmas day. We are thrilled, they live 300 miles away and haven’t had Christmas with us for the last 10 years. But totally and completely unprepared. We normally just send them gift cards. I think it is a lazy way to do presents, but after figuring in time and postage, it is better. Plus, they can get exactly what they need/want without having to return or exchange.

Still lazy, though.

I know, first-world problems.

OH, Hey! I just thought of a gift! Time to get shopping!

After swearing that I would do no shopping after the 20th.

Sigh. So it goes.