'Tis the season

It's Christmas shopping time again. Around our house, that means one of two things - either we have money and we get to blow it out (that has happened once) or we're on a budget and we have to be extremely careful with what we spend (that would be the other Christmases we've spent together.)

With Tony, the problem is that he's really good at buying expensive gifts and doesn't do that well with the budget stuff. I have some truly extraordinary gifts from the flush years - jewelry, handbags, scarves, clothing. I also have some truly bizarre gifts from the lean years - key chains, plaques, etc. It is a running joke around our house that with a buying limit under $50, Tony gets kind of lost.

This year is a lean year. I already bought Tony's gifts online while I was at my mom's. I'm having them shipped to her so he doesn't peek and she is going to wrap them for me as well (she's a full-service mom.) Mom also told me what she wanted, so I'm going to get that for her and that just leaves Jack (no freaking idea what I'm going to buy him) and Levi (hello, gift card!). The dogs are getting some toys and a bag of Beggin' Strips. I know, I spoil them.

Tony, on the other hand, has done no shopping at all. He's terrified of buying me the wrong things. Let's just say I had a bad, hormone-induced reaction to a REALLY NICE gift a few years ago and he's never recovered, poor guy. So mom and I have decided to help him. The budget is $100, so we've both been going to my favorite clothing store web sites and sending him link after link of tops, skirts, pants, etc. The best part is that he showed me what my mom sent him and gave me veto power over her choices. (They were all lovely, mom. Don't worry, I didn't veto a thing.)

But at a certain point, I realized that it would be easier for him to just hand me the $100 and send me to the mall, but then I wouldn't have anything to open on Christmas and that would make me sad. You don't ever want to be the person sitting there with nothing to open. Gives the impression that you've been bad that year, or something.

So instead, I carefully orchestrate my Christmas gift options, choosing only items that I know will fit, match and look great together, so if Tony chooses wisely, I'll have a matching outfit under the tree. And if he doesn't, I'll have a great selection of separates to work into my current wardrobe. The best part is that I know how much it means to Tony to buy good gifts and this will give him the opportunity to do that, and not worry that I don't like something he bought for me and then have a repeat of birthday '07. Oh, the horror.

Here's hoping your shopping is going as well as mine and that I figure something out for Jack before Christmas Eve, when I freak out and buy everyone a Snuggy.

Hey, that's not a bad idea......