presents

Our son Alex and niece Maya turned 19 this year. We reminded them that this is their last Christmas of gift bonanza. Next Christmas, they join the family tradition of stocking stuffers and that's all. Well, not all really. In our family, the adults don't give each other "big" presents for Christmas. We spend time with each other, spend the gift money on charities, and just put small, funny or delicious stocking stuffers in each others' stockings.

I got chocolate in my stocking - but not as much as last year because I asked people if they could look for alternatives. My mom knitted me a cool pair of fingerless mittens - totally fingerless like long sleeves with thumb slots. They are warm and stylish. Andy shopped all over the place and finally found me some clip on flashing lights - like bicycle lights, but to clip on my backpack or jacket while I walk at night. He searched everywhere for them and finally found them at Home Hardware. Along the way, he tried the pet store, because people do put these lights on their dogs' collars for night walks. It turns out he could find them only attached to dog collars. Come to think of it, I could wear two small dog collars on my ankles, but that would be silly. At any rate, I feel pleased that he took the trouble to find something unusual that I would use, and that would help keep me safe when I walk home from work at night.

Alex and Fiona have informed me that a new iPod cover is on its way by mail from an eBay seller. I am looking forward to finding out what my new iPod cover looks like, although the pretty pink one that came with the iPod when Fi handed it down to me is really fine.

As for gifts I gave - my "big present" spending went to First United Church and Share Family and Community Services. So all of the adults who didn't get big presents can know that the money is helping people in the downtown eastside and our neighbourhood. I did put chocolate into stockings, but I also found a microwave egg poacher for Andy. He was skeptical when he opened it, but has cooked himself poached eggs almost every day since he got it. Mom and Dad got ticket vouchers for Little Shop of Horrors - Fiona's show in March. Fi got a guitar. Alex got hockey tickets. All in all, it was a Christmas with just the right kind and size of presents. We spent lots of time together, but not lots of money on gifts. It was the way it should be.

question: did you give or receive anything especially memorable?

mompoet - in the present