"The test center is closed as we celebrate the Pagan Solstice. We will reopen on January 3rd when our hours will be..."
"...However, if you are a virgin and would like to volunteer to sacrifice yourself to ensure the return of the sun for the rest of us, you may contact us at..."
Then again, we just went with the standard winter break message.
The boss, assistant boss, and I worked the final shift of the year yesterday. We were only open for four hours for the last trickle of customers before the holidays. We took care of some general cleaning and tidying - took down the holiday decorations, cleaned the breakroom, then penned and recorded the winter break outgoing message on the voicemail. Done and done.
I'm as ready as I'm going to be for Christmas. We don't go all out, especially since the kids are all up and out now. But it's nice to have some time together. I've got a few decorations up around the house, there are a few gifts and cards, there's ham.
I definitely don't want to take part in the deadweight loss of Christmas, minimalist clutterphobe that I am. On a somewhat related note, my step-MIL has sent us an abundance of "treats" every year for Christmas for many years. Store-bought cookies and candies, etc. that we never manage to consume on our own.
Most of it ends up going to coworkers and then expires into the trash. I keep thinking to gently let her know not to send so much if any. But then, Christmas passes and I forget by the next time I talk with her, and it seems wrong to mention it in my Christmas thank-you note.
Once again, I received and opened the "box of diabetes" a couple of weeks ago. I brought over half of it to work, and during yesterday's cleaning, the leftovers went into the trash. There's still a significant amount at our house that we will dole out to the kids, then chuck the remainder.
6 comments:
Donate the sweets to those in need, eg: me.
Go with the last. Don't mention it and find a way to re-gift it. My MIL was a shopper and she enjoyed buying what she thought we all would want for Christmas and it was usually what we didn't want for Christmas or wouldn't wear, etc. We taught the kids to be thankful for the gifts but they were no way obligated to wear the weird striped shirts bought for them, etc. Worse thing is she bought them at the military commissaries and we couldn't exchange them, even if we wanted to.
I enjoyed reading that article about deadweight Christmas gifts. I totally agree about it, lol. The ladies at work gave little gifts to each of the coworkers. Didn't know they were going to do that. I accepted the gifts graciously (and they will be re-gifted lol) but didn't feel I had to turn around and reciprocate. Maybe that's wrong with gift etiquette?
In years past when we exchanged gifts with my brother/sister and their families it was always hard to figure out what to get them especially since we lived miles away from them. Then my sister didn't want gift cards because they never used them and my brother at times would be boycotting stores so we never knew what stores to send them gift cards for. We did do, on my suggestion, donations to everyone's favorite charity but they weren't fond of that idea. So I just said I was going to stop sending gifts. My brother sends us 2 pounds of See's Candy every year which I do admit I eat my favorites and then we too dump the rest.
So after this incredibly long comment, just don't say anything to your MIL. It probably is better that way in the long run, especially if you want to remain on good terms wit her (assuming you are on good terms already).
Enjoy your time with your family!!
BTW, I would have loved the phone greeting of the celebration of the pagan solstice myself, but I'm weird like that :)
Merry Christmas!
betty
Oh Abby that is a tough one I've had to deal with. I finally gave up and gave the food/treats to the City Mission who were so glad to take them off my hands to give to those who come there for a holiday meal. You might want to do something like that. She feels good because she is giving what she wants to us and we are helping someone else. At least that is how we thought of it. But my goodness my family does this to me ALL the time. Everyone says, why aren't you just blunt with them? HA! Oh my goodness. I am blunt with my mother but she does what she wants. So we give diabetes to the homeless or those living in the city mission shelter and there are kids there who absolutely love getting the cookies. Merry Christmas I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing holiday!
Larz, ha, I know you have a sweet tooth, but I bet this haul would be a challenge for you!
Betty, yep, I guess I'll keep doing what I've been doing for years with the yearly diabetes and not mention anything to SMIL.
We had one person at work who wanted us all to get gifts for everyone else. The others left it to me to talk her down to one gift to swap.
Peggy, I like the idea of giving it all to a shelter or charity pantry. It's even too much when doled out to coworkers. SMIL can keep with her tradition and no one's the wiser!
I'm thinking it gives her joy to put the goodies together, so I'd let her keep sending the crap, thank her profusely (lie), then share it.
BootsandBraids, sound advice. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing!
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