I love the excitement of the season, the smell, the bustle, the baking and shopping, getting just the right gift for someone you love and barely being able to wait until Christmas morning to see the look of joy on the face of that loved one.  Feeling the warmth of that big hug of gratitude and the squeals of delight as the gift is shown to others.  Yes!  I do love it!   It always happened that way with the children but when it came to exchanging gifts with Tim ( my late husband )  it was quite another story.

Peace on earth good will to men somehow turned into a christmas morning tradition of,  Pearce’s on earth, oh go to hell!!

Tim loved to shop!  He loved to shop in high end stores, buy expensive gifts for as little money as possible and surprise everyone.  My first clue about Tim’s proclivity for retail recreation came when we were dating.  Arriving earlier than planned at my apartment for a date, Tim informed me  (without shame or embarrassment,  I might add)  that he needed to go to Auerbach’s department store and pick out a girdle for his mother!!  I kid you not!   His mother had asked him to do that. ( I must confess I did wonder if the girdle was for him and he was using his mother as an excuse.) He was slim and looked good in his clothes but then that was when he was in pants and a shirt, I had no idea how he would look in a dress.  The girdle was bought and the date continued.  The girdle wasn’t a deal breaker we did end up getting married and taking his “second mother” on our honeymoon, but that’s another story.

Our first Christmas together  Tim bought me some fabulous clothes. Unfortunately, I was pregnant with our first child and needed maternity clothes, which he didn’t buy.  He bought me leather boots,  a matching purse, a new coat and jewelery. I loved the gifts, but I was worried.  I couldn’t bring myself to remind him that he was still at student at the U or, more to the point, ask him where he found the money for such a Christmas.  I didn’t have to wait long for the answer. By the end of January statements of charges from several department stores graced our mail box. And so began the first of twenty two years of our traditional Christmas fights.

I suspect he was a little deaf too.  He always asked me what I wanted for Christmas and then surprise me with something completely different.  Like the year I wanted a string of pearls. He shopped and there was a long narrow box under the Christmas tree with my name on it, but it was too heavy to be pearls.  I was puzzled.

Finally, Christmas morning arrived and I tore open the wrapping on that gift, I opened the box with a mixture of anxiety and excitement and there they were, nestled in cotton, a beautiful pair of expensive scissors.  “You wouldn’t believe the deal I go on those”  Tim exclaimed, Oh I believe I do I thought.  “Now when you sew  – which I seldom did since the  kids had grown into the name brand stage of youth -  you have the very best scissors.”  Was he really that clueless?

I resigned myself to being appreciative of the gift until I put my fingers into them…  They were for a left handed person.   You guessed it!  I am right handed.  Tim was unfazed by that, “I bet you could learn to cut fabric with your left hand”   Oh, I wanted to cut something alright but it wasn’t fabric.  Life with Tim could be a headache but it was never dull!

Do you have any stories of Christmas dissapointments?  What is the wierdest gift you ever received?  When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?  Am I the only person who had christmas fights?  Do Tell!

        Do you have people on your christmas list who have everything?    Are their people in your life who long to be remembered at this time of the year in a very special way?   Are you clueless as to what to surpise these people with?  Would like some help with this?

Go to: www.invalidateprop8.com

For every donation made to this very worthy cause a postcard will be sent to President Thomas M, letting him know that a donation has been made in his honor (or dishonor) depending on how you feel.  Personally, I don’t want a card sent to Tom, since I believe that one can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  I’ll probably send him a letter on my very nice Crane stationery  letting him know how much he has dissapointed this widow.  He loves widows, he has always been so loving and attentive to them.  I have this nagging feeling that he really isn’t opposed to same sex marriage but he’s made it to the top and has to follow the party line.  So sad.   Could be wrong though!

I’m so sorry  that I have not posted recently.  Dec. is not a very happy month for me even though I love Christmas.  Dec 4th is the anniversary of my daughter Annie’s death.  Some years I am sad but fuctional and there are other years where for some inexplicable reason I relive the events of that day as if it were yesterday.  This year was not a good year.  I am happy to report that I am feeling better and have been thinking about the holidays and have some thoughts and pictures I would like to share with you.  I hope to share and post later this week.  Thanks for your patience and understanding.