How to Celebrate with No Money THIS Year

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I can always tell when the Christmas Season has arrived when Bud announces, “We really don’t have any money to spend on Christmas this year.” We’ve been married forty-five years so I’ve heard that at least forty-five thousand times.  It wouldn’t matter if we had just won the lottery, he’d be worried about the taxes we have to pay on the bonanza!

This year, I surprised him.  Way back in October, I announced.  “We really don’t have any money to spend on Christmas THIS year.  You can just take care of the shopping.”

It only took him an instant to say, “Okay.  I’m through.”

“That’s what I thought you’d say.”  Of course, I’d already done my shopping.

Not long after that, he bought himself a nice pair of rattlesnake-proof boots.  “This will be my Christmas present.  Don’t buy me anything.”

“No problem,” I meant it.

A few days later, we made a trip to Missouri so he could hunt with his cousin, necessitating purchase of more gear and an out of state license.  They don’t give those away.  “This trip and the hunting license will be my gift.  Don’t buy me anything.”

“Don’t worry.  I won’t.  Remember, we are short on money THIS year.”

Yesterday after lunch, Bud said, “Don’t worry about getting me a Christmas gift.  There’s only one thing I want and I’ll take care of it.”

“But what about all the other stuff you already got.  I thought that was your Christmas,” I reminded him.

“Well, this is only seventy dollars and it’s on sale now at Bass Pro!”

“Oh, that’s different!  What are you going to get me?”

“Didn’t you ever get that vacuum cleaner you wanted for your birthday?”

“No, I thought you might get it since it was my birthday.”

“Well, I never know exactly what you want.”

If he lives till spring, I’m going to hide those rattlesnake-proof boots.

 

16 thoughts on “How to Celebrate with No Money THIS Year”

  7. “If he lives until spring …” I hear you. Every year I try to convince my husband that we need not buy gifts for each other because we pretty much have what we need and can buy what we want for ourselves during the year. Come holiday time, he manages to put together a list of DVDs and CDs he might like so that the girls (and yes, me) can wrap something up for him.

    But me? I don’t watch TV and I have all the digital music I care to have. I can’t think of a single thing this year other than wine and gift certificates (so that I can then go out and buy whatever I’d like during the year – how is that really solving anything?). I just got rid of all the excess junk in my house, so I don’t want anyone buying me any knickknacks of any kind. I feel bad putting my family through this stress, but I really don’t need or want anything that I don’t already have – I live very, very simply.

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