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Thanks, Lilac! I'm still trying to figure out why pet owners shouldn't give baked goods.
Because we consider pet hair a condiment
If one has multiple pets in their home, fur is going to fly, no matter how meticulous a cleaner you are. I've been known to banish the furbutts to the basement and go over the house many times with the vacuum, even getting on a ladder and examining the textured ceiling for strands when I expected my MIL to visit
Appreciate all those little things, maintain a sense of humor and laughter and don't sweat the small stuff.
I used to have Christmas here at my little 2 bedroom house and they were some of the best. Things got broken, my nephew licked all the icing off the cookies and put them back on the platter (I still laugh to tears over that one). The dog came in the living room and was licking my brother's baby's hand while my mom was holding him and no one saw it but me. I started a tradition of 'naughty and nice' boxes. You didn't know if you were naughty or nice until you opened the box. They were identical unmarked boxes and there was nothing in them over $5 like long distance calling cards, lottery tickets and one had coal in it and other stuff. I let my nephew hand them out randomly to everyone and every year my mom got the coal. The first year I did this I knew my nephew would keep the heaviest one for himself. It was a box of batteries with a note "Gift Not Included." There's a lot we don't remember about those Christmases but we all remember the boxes.
My nephew died last Thanksgiving and in his honor everyone got a small box with his name on it this year and they were a pair of socks.
Enjoy the chaos - it's what makes the best stories in years to come....and you never know when it will be your last.
Love this post.
We celebrate each Christmas like this might be the last time we'll all be together.
Actually, I'm a teacher and I can never have enough coffee mugs. I'd rather have that than a gift card.
What's the deal with the pets and baked goods?? I don't understand the connection.
My one wish for xmas is that people would stop giving me gifts. I just don't need them and find buying present for adults stressful. I'd rather everyone just gave gifts to the kids.
This. My in-laws are that way, so we have 25 people stacked in their house like cordwood--infants, small children, you name it. And, what's more, the in-laws NEVER want to do anything but watch Fox News and ***** about the government. Yet God forbid that anyone would want to go anywhere. Last year, I had to pretend to have an urgent client need just so I could sit in a coffee shop for two hours and chill.
I mean, I would kill to use my Hilton Honors points for a free stay at the Hampton Inn. But we don't because my in-laws would be offended. So when it's time to leave, I pull out of the driveway and punch the accelerator like something out of The Dukes of Hazzard.
I would encourage your to use your points at the Hampton Inn next year.
I've noticed that folks who watch Fox News and never have a good word to say about our President (or can even spell or pronounce his name correctly) are often offended by all sorts of stuff such as the Pope saying we should spend less time being self-rightous and more time taking care of the less fortunate.
Your staying at the Hampton Inn may hardly be noticed among all the things that they find offensive next year.
Actually, I'm a teacher and I can never have enough coffee mugs. I'd rather have that than a gift card.
A friend who is a SpEd teacher loves her mug collection. Apparently, the parents of her students have begun a tradition of mugs that the kids write on or put their picture on.
The mugs often have candy and gift cards in them. But it is the mugs she treasures.
I would encourage your to use your points at the Hampton Inn next year.
I've noticed that folks who watch Fox News and never have a good word to say about our President (or can even spell or pronounce his name correctly) are often offended by all sorts of stuff such as the Pope saying we should spend less time being self-rightous and more time taking care of the less fortunate.
Your staying at the Hampton Inn may hardly be noticed among all the things that they find offensive next year.
Dude. I'm neither Republican nor Democratic, neither Liberal nor Conservative.
But please stop with the moral vanity. I've found that knee-jerk obsessiveness isn't even close to being exclusive to any political camp.
Because my FIL complains so much that my wife insists we stay there to keep peace in the family. So I put up with it for a couple of days out of respect for her.
You're a good husband. I would never agree to stay somewhere crowded and uncomfortable to appease anyone. But my husband would object even more strongly than I would, so I don't suppose it will ever be an issue.
I think a lot of people are misunderstanding the OP's post. He isn't just venting or setting down global rules. He's summarizing the large number of threads that occurred here on C-D about experiences with Christmas and gifting. He's not even saying he agrees with all of them, and I'm sure a few might be tongue-in-cheek. But if you've been reading all the numerous threads here about Christmas, you'll totally "get" the OP's point.
I have never forced anyone to sleep on a floor.
I have never forced anyone to stay here when they want to stay elsewhere.
(Where do you come up with these things? My post clearly states that people ask me to stay at my home....)
With the kids out of the house, we have three guest rooms available, all WITH BEDS!
We also have two sleeper sofas.
Oh... and we have more than one bathroom (another wrong assumption in your post).
My son and his wife DID sleep on the floor one night a year or so ago. Their choice after they built a roaring fire in the fireplace. They chose to stay in front of the fire instead of in their bed.
I'm sorry that I didn't point out that I was being sarcastic, because you seem to be such a nice person to stay with for the holidays. Obviously, lots of people enjoy staying with you.
So many people on C-D have complained about being forced to sleep on the floor and to share one bathroom with a dozen or even two dozen relatives over the holidays that I was just "being silly with you". I sincerely apologize to you if that was unclear (and this is not sarcasm).
PS. Please note that a few people posted a little later on this thread about that very topic.
Last edited by germaine2626; 01-02-2014 at 11:47 AM..
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