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I'm the Grinch and proud of it




This year, I decided to do Christmas on the cheap and not feel guilty about it.

So we'll be putting up a tree, making nice food, hauling in some stomach-warming bevvies and giving the finger to Santa Claus.

Nick and Shyla have a baby on the way, Marissa and Jeff are in a very pricey wedding party and Scott and I are broke -- as usual. Stef has money but Stef can afford to buy his own presents.

So we've arranged it so that one couple or a Stef will give another couple one present and that will be it.

Before you blurt it out, let me stop you right there. There will be no secret Santa, no present stealing. Our Christmas will be transparent and will level the playing field for the "have nots".

For the past few years, I've felt guilty about the lack of great and expensive presents. Even when I was a single mom, there was always a Playstation or an iPod under the tree. We were pretty poor but I wanted to make sure the kids got what everybody else was getting.

They're all adults now and I believe the presents take away from Christmas. There shouldn't be such a fierce focus on the material. Christmas should be all about being together and expressing your love for one another.

Through food, maybe some high priced booze.

And the watching of premium cable.

I'm not rationalizing.

Really.

I'm tired of the guilt. I'm tired of the stress.

I want Christmas to be more like Thanksgiving and less like Presentgiving.

Finally, I get the Grinch.

I'm him -- and proud of it.

I'm reposting this blog from last November. Since it appeared, it has been read by 36,465 people, so I must have hit a nerve. The sentiment holds true today. Slight update. Marissa and Jeff are engaged, Stef is still comfortably and financially secure, and Shyla and Nick had a wonderful baby girl name Skylar. Whatever presents there are will go to her. RS
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