Balancing the Pile...

 
While at home for Christmas break during college,
I experienced a surprise... 

It was our first Christmas in Florida,
after having lived in Moline, Illinois
for the better part of 18 years. 

My dad took a new job after John Deere laid him
and untold thousands off in 1985
and we were off to greener and warmer pastures... 

I felt a little homesick for my old buddies,
but the newness of a hot, humid holiday
proved to be a good distraction... 

The neighbors lit up their homes,
in Griswold fashion,
perhaps to over compensate
for the lack of snow... 

Yard flamingos, blazing with tiny lights,
were the fashion then... 

So it was Christmas... 

Mom was doing her best to recreate
those cherished memories
of our dear home up north... 

She made our favorite treats,
festooned the tree with our beloved ornaments
and she shopped up a storm... 

I am not sure if it is a Scandinavian tradition
or a Benson tradition,
but we always opened the majority
of our non-Santa gifts on Christmas Eve... 

And so, full of eggnog and merriment,
Tony Bennett and Lou Rawls caroling on the stereo,
we commenced with gift giving... 

After a while,
I noticed that my brother, Erik's,
present pile towered over mine... 

Surely there was more under the tree for me... 

After all, girls are easier to shop for, right?  

It soon became disappointingly clear
that I got the short end of the stick... 

It was curious because my mom
had always been very fair and generous
with us kids... 

Had I been a bad girl? 

Had Santa ratted me out to Mom? 

Damn it, Santa, I wasn't THAT drunk
at the Pike party
and even though I got a C in Chemistry,
I studied my ass off! 

Now, I sound like a spoiled little girl,
grousing about her Christmas presents
or lack thereof,
but you can ask my mom... 

It was a small pile of presents that year... 

My poor mother panicked... 

She could not believe she had
shorted me so much.... 

Mother felt so bad that she ran to Walgreens
the next morning
and scoured the aisles
to find something, ANYTHING, for me.... 

It was awkward.... 

And now it is happening to me... 

Today I did gift reconciliation
to get a good view of what has been purchased
for all of our loved ones... 

Spreading the items out on our bed,
I realized something...

 Jack is getting stiffed, big time! 

Crap, how did this happen?! 

I have been shopping since September,
parceling out the costs,
using a list,
 watching my budget,
paying only cash... 

Holy Rip Off, Batman,
Jack is getting a big stack of Not So Much! 

Part of the explanation is that
it is whole lot easier and budget friendly
to shop for a six year old girl... 

She is thrilled with a new sleeping bag
or a doll from Aldi... 

A ten year old boy wants electronics
and other impossibly high ticket items... 

You can't find an XBox game at Aldi, I tell you...

I looked...

Plus, a big stuffed teddy bear
has way more bang for the buck
than a little set of headphones
that cost twice as much...  

And so now I am the panicked mother,
grasping for gifting straws,
yet still shackled to limited funds... 

For the love of Cupid, Comet and Blitzen,
please help me out with gift ideas
that have Santa Approved curb appeal
for less than the cost of a Mini Cooper....

Honestly, please comment with suggestions...

I could use some good ideas...

My kids understand that this is a house
with financial limits.... 

I have laid the groundwork with Jack
that his haul will look a lot different
than Kate's because he doesn't want as many kiddie toys
as she does... 

But still, I'd like for his eyes to light up
as he descends the stairs... 

After all, he still BELIEVES
and that is a magic I'd like to perpetuate for
as long as possible...

PS:  A month later, my mom found all my gifts stuffed in her dresser....

Good thing my birthday is in January!