Festivus

If you don't get my reference to the fictional Seinfeld holiday, don't worry there is still something in this post for you.

Basically Festivus is the anti-greed holiday of the holidays. As part of Festivus, I will be airing a grievance.

A little background story.

Jason and I had very limited funds when we first began dating. I remember our first Christmas had a budget of $20 for gifts. We were mostly content to have each other, and TJ was only 2 so we pulled it off without trauma.

The next Christmas we were playing debt catch-up so a little fatter but still a lean Christmas.

Then Jason got a better job and we went a little nuts following Christmas. I refer to it as the Christmas of 57 presents. I know that sounds like a lot for a family of 3, it is. However that was TJ's gift count. That didn't even include his mom's family. I KNOW!

The tree had so many gifts under it they didn't all fit, our front door was blocked.

Jason and I are not entirely to blame on this. At the time TJ was the only grand kid to 4 grandparents (plus 1 great grandparent has several already) from mine and Jason's family. He was also the only nephew (or niece) to five aunts. So everyone went nuts.

After that year for birthdays and Christmas I asked the extended relatives to please stick to one gift each. Some listen, most don't, but the amounts of gifts calmed down a lot. Adding Brooke and Eric to the mix also helped. It is a Festivus miracle!

Here is where I am airing a grievance because I think it is funny. More than one grandparent has to comment that we have too much for our kids and are spoiling them. huh? Okay you show up with your trunk full of gifts and then tell us our kids have too much? I fully support the grandparent right to spoil the kids. I am all for the joy it gives them. However, don't chastise me for what you do. Not to mention the bulk of the toys are from the grandparents.

I will use a picture to illustrate my point. Here are the gifts for my three kids from ONE grandparent.for those who want the count, that is 15 gifts. Remember I have 3 kids. Same grandparent has told me often that I am spoiling my kids. *sigh*

So I reminder to myself, if I choose the spoil my grand kids one day, and I will. Not to comment on the amount of gifts they get.

And thus ends my first grievance airing of Festivus. Now I need to get a pole.