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Thursday Rant – How the Grinch Stole My Christmas Spirit

by 30 Comments

Hi there, Mrs. 1500 ranting today.

IMG_0721Last week, we took an epic car trip through four states to visit four different sets of people. I wrote earlier about how I didn’t really want to buy gifts or have gifts purchased for us, and of course this all fell on deaf ears. Our car was filled to the brim on the way home.

After I wrote that post, I started shopping, because I needed to get gifts. As much as I dislike the exchange, it is still rude to show up with nothing.

As I shopped for gifts, I tried to keep the recipient in mind, and I think I did fairly well. I was even beginning to enjoy the gift-giving thing again. On Christmas Day, we opened presents, and the kids had an absolute blast playing with their cousins and their gifts all day long. My sister, who had traveled across the country, had already told all the kids that she would be taking them to Target the next day to choose their gift. She didn’t have to bring five giant presents on the plane, the kids got to choose whatever they wanted, under $25, and everyone was happy.

IMG_0727The next day, I discovered that one of my relatives whipped out a calculator to make sure her kids spent their entire $25. I find this offensive on two different levels. First off, my sister wasn’t keeping track. If the kids had found something that cost $26, she was fine with it. But the spirit of the gift was “choose something you like,” not make sure you get every penny out of it. Her children chose something they liked, and she told them to get something else because they hadn’t spent all their money.

I am also depressed because this person is a product of the public education system and cannot do simple math*.

When I heard this, I lost all my gift-giving Christmas spirit enjoyment all over again. THIS is exactly what Christmas is NOT about.

Next year, we will spend the holidays in Hawaii with the Obamas**. I can’t wait!

 

*Mr. 1500 jumps in with a haiku:

Number twenty-five,
Where is my calculator?
Addition is hard.

**We will be in Hawaii, and they spend Christmas there every year, too, so we will be in Hawaii with the Obamas. Not on the same island, and we probably won’t see them, but still, we will both be there at the same time…

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  4. Your post title threw me for a complete loop – I am back to work today after nine days off, and I could have sworn it was a Monday. Best work week ever, a Monday and Friday.

    Also, that’s so tacky on the part of one of your relatives. I mean seriously, come on!

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  5. The only time I remember having a calculator out on Christmas was the year that was my big gift and I spent the day playing with it. What? Doesn’t every 16 year old ask for a calculator for Christmas? =)

    Best gift given this year was the $1 monkey to Kitty PoP. Watching him play with the package and rip off the wrapping paper felt like what I imagine parents feel watching their toddlers rip into presents.
    Mrs PoP @ Planting Our Pennies recently posted…PoP Balance Sheet – December 2013My Profile

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  6. It’s too bad she focused more on the price of the gift rather than the Christmas spirit of the season. Someone should have told her, “Drop the calculator, take the cannolis (or toys).” 🙂

    Holidays in Hawaii sounds great! My wife and I have stayed in Puerto Rico many times for the holidays and we love it.
    Richie @ Practical Cents recently posted…Lessons Learned in 2013My Profile

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    • I think her actions are indicative of a much deeper issue, but I was still appalled. It is also a symptom of how our society treats Christmas, so gift-centered…

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    • I feel bad for her kids, too. The whole thing just makes me sad. Spend time with family that you rarely see, and be happy for that, rather than focus on THINGS. The kids didn’t even open their presents for the first 30 minutes or so, they just ran around and played. We had to direct them toward the presents to get them to open them. My mother commented “I have never in all my life seen kids less interested in presents.”

      Reply

  9. That’s a shame on both fronts. Can’t do simple math and trying to make sure they extract every last penny from a relative. We’ve done a Secret Santa for the adults for years now and it’s so much better as it cuts down on the expense and the stuff. We also added in a make your own gift White Elephant exchange this year. That worked out awesome and I think the gifts were much better than the store bought ones.
    JC @ Passive-Income-Pursuit recently posted…Dividend Update – December 2013My Profile

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    • I have tried to enact less gift giving, but everyone wants to do it still. And it feels weird when you don’t buy gifts, and everyone else buys gifts for everyone else. And we have the only two kids on one side, so everyone buys for them. It is just a difficult time of year.

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  10. The Obamas are in my neighborhood but half a mile away thankfully. All the neighbors by the Obama rental have to submit to the secret service a list of people they intend to have over Christmas three months in advance so they can get checked. Not on list they can’t have them visit.
    charles@gettingarichlife recently posted…2014 Goals And What Is Really ImportantMy Profile

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    • While I understand that the President needs protection, this is a ridiculous. What if a family member wants to surprise someone on Christmas? No chance we will run into him while we are there, we will be on Kauai the whole time.

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  12. Some people really don’t understand the Christmas spirit. It’s a real shame. This year I bought my nephews and niece and inexpensive gift and then gave their parents cash for their college accounts. They are all 5 and under and don’t “need” anything.
    KK @ Student Debt Survivor recently posted…Happy New Year!My Profile

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    • This is exactly how I want my girls to be treated. Something small and inexpensive. Many of the people in our family don’t have a lot of money. Please don’t spend it on us, buying things we don’t need or want. A letter, an online video of you wishing us a Merry Christmas from your home several states away, think of something that will keep us in touch, rather than spending money you don’t have on things we can’t use. Sigh.

      Reply

  13. Yeah, that is very seriously tacky. I always feel squeamish about spending other people’s money to begin with, so I can’t imagine doing that. What a missed lesson for her kids.

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    • I, too feel squeamish about spending other people’s money. My littlest daughter chose a $15 Play-Doh toy set, and she is happier than a pig in slop, because that is what she truly wanted.

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  14. Wow, she literally whipped out a calculator?? I thought you were just making a point! That’s insane…

    People really are just sad; you’d think it would be better at Christmas, but it isn’t. It’s all about ‘how much can I get’ at this time of year.

    I wish I was going to Hawaii with the Obama and 1500 families! I think you guys are picking the better island though…
    Brad @ RichmondSavers.com recently posted…Travel Rewards: Free New York to Bermuda Vacation in StyleMy Profile

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  15. I remember going with my mom to get gas and their was a cookout fundraiser for the local school’s track team. We bought some food, paid in cash, and waited for our change. The person working the register had to use a calculator to figure out the change. All the prices used $0.25 denominations. So $1.50, $0.75, etc. We got in the car and I thought, “Are you freaking kidding me.” They couldn’t do the change in their head with simple quarters.
    Micro recently posted…December 2013 Mission BriefingMy Profile

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    • I encounter this all the time at the grocery store. The total will be $7.58 and I will give them a $10 bill and 3 pennies. I have actually had cashiers hand me back the three pennies, saying that isn’t enough, or something like that. And woe betide the cashier who receives this and doesn’t type it into the register correctly… It is akin to the world ending.

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  16. Brad, she literally pulled out a calculator to do the math and make sure the kids got every bit of their gift. I am sad to say this is not something I made up to illustrate a point.

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