Good Christmas
Like most kids I used to delight in waking up at the crack of dawn to unwrap the mountain of presents under the tree. With shreds of paper covering the living room I’d run upstairs to call my friends and compare our hauls.
One Christmas, maybe when I was in high school or so, my parents asked what I wanted for Christmas. For no good reason, I felt different.
“Nothing.”
They pushed and tried to get me to suggest something, but I genuinely didn’t want anything. They got me presents anyway. I appreciated the gesture and was thankful, but for some reason I went upstairs and cried for the first time in many years. It didn’t seem fair that my parents, who’ve done so much for me, would still feel obligated to go out of their way to buy me things. All I really wanted was to spend time with my whole family at Christmas. I got that every year, and was grateful for it.
As years passed I would insist that no one get me presents, but they usually still did. One year I threatened not to open any presents, but I still got a stocking full of stuff.
Finally this year I got nothing. I woke up after everyone else opened their presents, spent the morning (ok… early afternoon) playing with my little cousins and posing for pictures taken with their brand new digital cameras. Then I ate food that Evan made for me, went and visited two of my Boston friends, and spent more time with my family at my Uncle’s new house. I felt great!
(1 votes, average: 3 out of 5)
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December 27th, 2006 at 4:51 am
Nice, I did something similar this year, except I asked family and friends spend whatever money they normally would on me towards toys for teens and other charitable causes.
December 27th, 2006 at 5:42 am
I said “I don’t feel like there’s anything I want or need in life any more”, and then asked for some kitchen stuff. It’s nice to have it.
HOWEVER, Mum bought me, my brothers, and my Dad, a remote control micro helicopter each and they rock!
December 27th, 2006 at 7:29 am
That’s awesome Ty, I guess if you stick it out you win in the end.
Question though: do you still get other people presents, how do you feel about that?
December 28th, 2006 at 12:56 am
I didn’t emphasis that I don’t want any gift. I am to point in my life that I don’t need any gifts. I often don’t know what I want when my parents asked me and often ideas pop after christmas.
December 28th, 2006 at 4:03 am
Wow I guess everyone feels the same way. On my 15th birthday I didn’t want anything but my dad still got me a £400 camcorder. For christmas I got an xbox 360. I use them though and they’re fun but also because I feel bad for my parents.
December 30th, 2006 at 6:17 am
What I really hate is when some random relative who I literally cant remember meeting sends me a gift. Because they dont know me at all the gift is never something I want. But my mother sends them and their kids a present so they feel obliged. I feel really bad but really cant think of a way to stop it though.
January 29th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I feel bad when people I dont really remember or even talk to anymore get me gifts and I dont get them anything. I tells ya, Christmas is like an interpersonal relationship mine field.