Those who have husbands or fathers–is it not a tradition that men will be out shopping on Christmas Eve? When I worked retail, Christmas Eve was almost all male customers, and Christmas Eve shopping has generally been true of the men in my life. It cracks me up. Tom and I agreed not to buy each other anything big this year, since our home improvements are the gifts we are giving ourselves. But of course, I’m always picking up things here and there for him. So he decided to look at my Amazon wish list and get an idea or two of things he could get me while he’s out running errands (and trust me, running errands is already a HUGE gift to me because he’s doing some of mine).
Now knowing what he was up to, when I got a box from my Secret Santa from his family, I thought I’d best open it, just in case… And sure enough, almost everything on my wish list was in the box. So I called Tom and began naming items. Somehow, he missed hearing me say the ONE item that he was holding in his hand as he stood in line to pay. Only later, during our second or third phone call, did I go through the list again because I’d found something else in the box. This time, he heard what he’d already bought. BACK TO BORDERS. (I can think of far worse fates than another trip to a bookstore, though maybe not on Christmas Eve…)
Meanwhile, one of the errands he ran early this morning was picking up a gift card for our mail carrier. You’re not supposed to gift them with cash, so we go the gift card route. When the aforementioned package was delivered, a DIFFERENT mail carrier snagged the envelope off the mailbox. I was all distressed, wondering if our mail carrier would get his gift. The dogs alerted me later that he was walking by–why do dogs hate mail men?–so I dashed out faster than a reindeer FLIES and he hollered at me from the house next door, “THANK YOU!” Apparently, the other mail carrier gave him the card. That made me so happy–not only that he got his gift, but that his coworker was honorable.
When I watched Elizabeth II’s 1957 Christmas address last night, I was struck by her mention of the age of cynicism. Who knew this was a topic fifty years ago, just as it is today. I remember watching Carol Burnett’s interview on Inside the Actor’s Studio years ago when she said her least favorite word is “cynicism.” I immediately adopted it as my least favorite word, too. I think cynicism is demoralizing and crippling. The reason that I do often sound Pollyanna-ish is because I don’t want to ever become cynical. I like believing in things like the magic of the universe and the goodness of people and that in time, all things will come out the way they should and will be okay.
So what I wish for all the people I care about is that this season, and the coming year, brings them a little less cynicism and a little more hope. And I also wish redleatherbound a happy birthday!
In green velvet, 1991 Holiday Barbie with Jamal
Yeah, my husband was out shopping this morning. I think it’s so that he has less to decide between.
(I never kept any of my Barbies, and Danielle was never really a barbie girl, but I do have Holiday Barbie for several years in a row in their boxes from when D. was younger.)
Ohhh, maybe some of our Barbies will match up. I have a few more Holiday Barbies to show off. I do think this one is particularly beautiful.
I’ll have to see what ones I can find in the basement and get some pictures.
Bob did the rest of his shopping on Saturday. Right now, he’s outside burning wood and leaves. He cleaned out all the yard beds, and I think he might just be having a bit of fun with the fire.
My friend, Venetia, says her favorite day to shop is today. She will hit it until the last store closes. That scares me to death, to be out there in that kind of crowd, but she loves it.
You have asked before what part of my writing is from my own life. Although some characters I write may share a few qualities with me or people I’ve known, I don’t base my characters on anyone real or use situations or events that would impose on the privacy and feelings of my family or friends. But I DO lift conversations and some random events from my life.
In A Coventry Christmas, when Keelie remembers a Christmas Eve in the store during which shoppers tried to buy a pig that snorted “Jingle Bells” from her, that actually did happen to me. Christine and I were fellow assistant managers in a bookstore. Our manager had us reassure the customers who were standing in line how quickly the line was moving and how soon they’d be out of the store. Christine had given me that pig for Christmas, and whenever it was my turn to soothe the customers, I took the pig with me. It quieted a few kids and amused a few customers, but mostly, those last-minute husbands/dads kept offering me money for it. I could have sold that pig for hundreds the nearer it got to our six p.m. closing time.
If you don’t have to shop, those last couple of hours are a great time to people-watch because a sort of fatalistic humor seems to settle over the crowd–much like those people I like to see in the post office just before midnight on tax day in April. Most of us suddenly become aware of how foolish it all is and we’re able to laugh–gently–at ourselves and others for being in that self-imposed predicament.
The last few days have been men out trying to find…ANYTHING. I had three shopping together the other night. It was funny. They came through my checkout (I work at Kohls) and each had the same set of silk pj’s, but in different colors.
When I asked if they all needed gift reciepts and boxes, they about cried. “YES, OH GOD YES!” LOL.
They always seem so lost.
At this point, anything will do.
LOL, you have to laugh. Bless their hearts. Men who buy the perfect gifts and surprise us at the perfect time with them exist only in Julia Roberts movies.
And that’s fine, ’cause I kind of like their flaws.
You really should have quantified that with “straight men” LOL..the gay men usually finish shopping at least a week before Christmas. Then we go back that last week to people watch.
Yes you did say “husbands and fathers” but some gay men are both, in one way or another.
I suspect that my life is filled with procrastinators of every orientation for a reason.
You know me, I am usually done by Thanksgiving, but my Dad has a tradition of Shopping on X-mas eve day. It is crazy! 😉
I’m loving the striking down of cynicism, and the Jamal link, and Holiday Barbie’s mega-hair! : )
I shop on Christmas Eve, so you’re right. I used to especially love doing it in NYC, where the traffic wasn’t an issue, so much. Felt very Auntie Mame.
Thank you for the birthday wish!
Merry Christmas to you and Tom! 🙂
“…a little less cynicism and a little more hope.”
A wonderful sentiment – I pray for it too!
Happy Christmas!