<p>H is a ba humbug Christmas guy and even worse this year. I reminded him that some day our D could be living in Wisconsin (made that up) with her H and S could be with his W and her family and it would be lonely…to enjoy what he has. That said we will go up the street/hill and cut our tree this afternoon as it is to be sunny and no rain. The worse tree we have ever had was the year it was raining so hard that the kids and I sat in the car and pointed to one on the side of the road. Was glad when that one came down! I have not shopped for much of anything and know I must get going. About half on line and, of course, checks for the kids. I have lots of things I need/want but not sure I want H to be the one buying those items. If I go with the all clad pot I want then he might think kitchen appliances are appropriate for all my gifts but then he rarely does well in general but not for lack of trying.</p>
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<p>They *do *try but don’t always succeed. One year I wanted some room fragrance spray from Bath & Body Works. My stocking has been filled with multiple cans of B&BW room spray ever since…I must have 15 of them now, and use up maybe one a year. When I die the kids will probably think I was a room spray hoarder.</p>
<p>yes but last year was the worst, bon jovi figurine, silly string all from Newbury comics. my friends laughed their a’s off I not so amused. he is a lovely guy and does try. but last year just seemed lazy, seemed like he just bought something to fill. this year no stockings. Being a thoughtful gift giver I was hurt . He has other beautiful attributes and has been wonderful to me.
Moda your son does seem like a charmer all the girls baking him a cake! at least you know he is well cared for.</p>
<p>One year a friend’s Christmas gift from her H was an urn from Pier One and inside it were the documents of puchase of a niche in our church’s columbarium…it seems the price of a niche was going to go up on Jan 1st, so it was a good time to buy.</p>
<p>My friend actually didn’t mind the gift, however, because she knew that for the rest of her life she’d be able to top everyone else’s “bad husband gift” stories.</p>
<p>One year everything I got for Christmas came from 7-11 after midnight. My kids get me things (that my husband has paid for obviously) but I cannot remember the last time my husband gave me a gift…</p>
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<p>Just like that episode of* Friends*!</p>
<p>Sorry to seem like I’m making light of eveyone’s pathetic giftgiver husbands…I’m just over it. </p>
<p>For me the disappointment always came on my birthday. My birthday often falls over spring break. The first time we were away for my birthday I thought “maybe jewlery” because it’s easy to pack. Nothing. Other than going out to dinner that night (which we would have anyway because we were on vacation), nothing. </p>
<p>Another time I said I wanted a red Chi. We got back from spring break about three days after my birthday and then H went online to order one and called and said they were out. Not a problem. I went to Ulta and bought myself a red Chi.</p>
<p>For my 50th, the older two kids were on a school trip, H couldn’t get away, so I planned a trip for younger D and I. I had a great 50th. I told H that for my birthday I wanted him to take my car in to get my oil changed and the car washed and detailed. I think he appreciated being told exaclty what to do!</p>
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<p>missypie, I think he gave not only your friend, but also her friends like you a story to top all bad-husband-gift stories. That one is priceless. Even better than my friend who asked for a new tennis outfit for her birthday, but received from her husband a pair of jeans instead because “you look better in jeans than tennis clothes.” ouch.</p>
<p>The older I get the less I care about gifts at all. Really. I tell H not to get me anything but he always does. What I really want for Christmas is for some of our family members to come to our house and share our holiday with us. My parents have twice, but my in-laws NEVER will.</p>
<p>But the urn story is hilarious!</p>
<p>I honestly wish I didn’t care… but I think because my Dad always gave my mom such great jewelry as does my Father in law for his wife, that maybe H would care on the tradition as what you do. I really don’t care about my birthday. Frankly, I wish everyone could just clean up their messes and leave me with an uber clean house. But when you’re married 20 years and you get a state quarter… even if it is a really new one – it is kind of disappointing. But for the rest of it… like Missy, I am over it. What I find kind of funny however is that for some reason H takes it really personally if I say it outloud. Not sure where that guilt comes from if you’re not going to do anything different.</p>
<p>Last year, however, I did get all new All clad pots and pans from the “kids.” Really really great gift. And a tip… apparently Target is coming out with a new line of cookware Jan 10 that is made at the exact same factory that All Clad is produced. My “source” insists it will be hard to tell the difference in terms of quality. So… you might want to wait and see about that one.</p>
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<p>Actually, I used to ask for that every year, but it never happened.</p>
<p>OMG, you guys are killing me. Too funny husbands : )
Mine is sitting over at his desk right now trying to figure out why I’m sitting here laughing out loud when I’m supposed to be getting the heck out of dodge.
He must sense it is because I am, while reading, glancing over at my “surprise” Christmas present. H and I have a design studio together. Somehow he thought he could order my “surprise” and very large “resistence trainer chair” xmas gift and have it delivered to the office without me noticing (open concept office). In it came with the Fedex ground guy, big 4’ picture on the side of the box…Husbands are so cute ; ) God love em. (Somebody has to.)</p>
<p>the best gift my h has given me is is love and patience this year so i will not complain anymore but it does make for funny stories.</p>
<p>Tired here and you are all sleeping–tree up, most decorations done and I spent $20 for the tree. So that feels good. Found $15 worth or greenery that was $273 originally at Pottery Barn. Vague memory of buying these sometime in late spring. But they work now. But missypie, oh my, more than one small tree would do us in. I so want the bus to run to your house!</p>
<p>Although I don’t have any gift stories that will top the one about “the urn,” (actually, nothing will top that one!) the thing that annoys me every Christmas is listening to H complain about how much he doesn’t like the holiday – there’s so much to do, gifts to buy, etc, etc. Well, it’s all true EXCEPT he does nothing; there is no stress or pressure for him. Honestly, as far as he’s concerned, there really is a Santa Claus because Christmas just happens! Now that D is older, he makes her go out to buy stuff for my stocking. To make sure I get useful things, I just give her a list. I told her she should at least drag him with her this year just to get him out of the house! (Working at home, he can go several days without leaving.)</p>
<p>Hard to get into the spirit when it’s been so warm here this week. I guess that’s about to change, so maybe that will help inspire me.</p>
<p>Christmas slacker here. No cards, trees, lights or decor yet. In fact, everything is still in the storage unit. Will probably start this weekend, but we usually rely on son’s muscles for toting everything back to the house.</p>
<p>In the next 3 weeks I will celebrate 54th birthday, Christmas and 31st wedding anniversary. I have learned to tell H that gold jewelry is my favorite gift. sometimes I say things like “i dont have anything with red stones. would some gold and red earrings look good with this outfit?” He goes to the jeweler and they help him choose something.</p>
<p>One year I made the mistake of admiring some hand lotion and bath salts at Bathworks or one of those places. Not only did H buy some, but he told the rest of the relatives and I recieved gallons of flavored lotions. Most of them made me sneeze and my eyes water. One year i got 4 pairs of scissors because I had apparently been ransacking the house looking for some.</p>
<p>Now I am very careful at this time of year about commenting on things I “want”.</p>
<p>Going shopping this afternoon and planning to get gifts in mail asap.</p>
<p>Well, I haven’t done Christmas cards for YEARS! I lie and say that trying to help the planet but that is so not true. I’m such a slacker…</p>
<p>It is snowing here in Maryland this morning. Huge flakes. Beautiful.</p>
<p>Well, it’s cold and festive here–I’m going on a holiday home tour this am, so am hoping I’ll get ready to decorate tomorrow. H will be gone all day. Lol at the “surprise” Christmas gift. I used to REALLY want H to surprise me with something glorious, and he used to be a great jewelry husband. But…kids in college and other ecpenses, so we’re not quite so flush. This year I had a magazine (holiday gifts issue) and circled three inexpensive things I liked. Yesterday, I went to his office and, so nuff, magazine was on his desk by the phone! I have also put every single J Crew catalog we’ve gotten on his mail pile and keep forwarding him percentage off coupons. </p>
<p>Big news here: S3 got his license yesterday. I came home and cried to my George Winston “December” CD.</p>
<p>And Eddieodessa, THAT would make my morning–seeing snow!</p>
<p>Snowing heavily in Northern Virginia. S is taking admissions test for magnet HS right now. I will start enjoying the snow after we get him home safely.</p>