Post-Christmas Wrap-Up
So, Christmas is now over. Nathan woke up this morning and said, "Mom, today is not Christmas, is it?" Very perceptive child, isn't he?
We had a wonderful Christmas, as usual. I talked with my parents on Saturday and had an amazing visit with them. They sound so very happy with their decision to return to Colorado, despite the heavy dumping of snow last week. They went over the mountains and spent the holiday with my brother. Next year, I hope to host them at our newly-refurbished home.
Nathan slept on the sofa by the Christmas tree Sunday night. We left out one big cookie and some milk for Santa. At 11:30 p.m., W and I hauled all his presents downstairs and stuffed the stockings. Nathan woke at 2 a.m., came running upstairs, and screamed, "Mommy, Daddy! Santa was here!" We convinced him that Santa could still come back, so he needed to go back to sleep and we would open presents in the morning.
We started the present opening at 8 a.m. and was complete by 9 a.m. Nathan would open a present and exclaim, "I always wanted this!" It was hilarious. And he meant it. Gotta love 5 year olds. Jocelyn just hung out on the sofa and watched. She is so good.
Overall, I am so happy with everything, but you know, sometimes you open something you know was a risk for the giver and you say, "Oh, wow. I like it." But you really don't. This happened this year. I think it is the first time in the eight years I have been with W (five married years) that he has given me something I didn't absolutely love. I am struggling with how to tell him that I don't like it. Not only do I not really like it, I am somewhat insulted that he bought it in the first place. It's a pale pink cotton Burberry sweater. It's not my style at all. It's cotton. I don't wear cotton sweaters because they stretch out and you get maybe two-three good wears out of it and they never look the same after that. But even it was something I would wear, it cost $310. For cotton. Sure, it's Italian cotton, right? It's Burberry, right? So that is automatically something I would like, right? Wrong. But he seemed kind of proud of himself, until he realized it was cotton himself. BTW, he won't wear cotton sweaters either. For $310, he could have given me a GC to Ann Taylor and I could have gone to town. I love their sales racks and it is 95% guaranteed that I will like anything there.
I tried it on. It looked better than I thought. But, still not something I would buy myself even if it was $30. And given it was expensive, I won't wear it until it is a "special" occasion, thus it would be relegated to the bottom drawer in my dresser, to be forgotten until a year late when I am trying to find that pale pink wool cable knit sweater that would be perfect for a football game. I would pull it out and remember that I did not have the guts to tell W that I did not like it and wanted to return it. Or (as my friend Anne recommended) tell him that I was uncomfortable with the money he spent on it and return it. Or tell him it didn't fit and return it. Anything but keep it, thus truly wasting the money.
So, tell me, what would you do? As I said, this is the first time I have ever not liked something he has given me so I am not comfortable with this process.
We had a wonderful Christmas, as usual. I talked with my parents on Saturday and had an amazing visit with them. They sound so very happy with their decision to return to Colorado, despite the heavy dumping of snow last week. They went over the mountains and spent the holiday with my brother. Next year, I hope to host them at our newly-refurbished home.
Nathan slept on the sofa by the Christmas tree Sunday night. We left out one big cookie and some milk for Santa. At 11:30 p.m., W and I hauled all his presents downstairs and stuffed the stockings. Nathan woke at 2 a.m., came running upstairs, and screamed, "Mommy, Daddy! Santa was here!" We convinced him that Santa could still come back, so he needed to go back to sleep and we would open presents in the morning.
We started the present opening at 8 a.m. and was complete by 9 a.m. Nathan would open a present and exclaim, "I always wanted this!" It was hilarious. And he meant it. Gotta love 5 year olds. Jocelyn just hung out on the sofa and watched. She is so good.
Overall, I am so happy with everything, but you know, sometimes you open something you know was a risk for the giver and you say, "Oh, wow. I like it." But you really don't. This happened this year. I think it is the first time in the eight years I have been with W (five married years) that he has given me something I didn't absolutely love. I am struggling with how to tell him that I don't like it. Not only do I not really like it, I am somewhat insulted that he bought it in the first place. It's a pale pink cotton Burberry sweater. It's not my style at all. It's cotton. I don't wear cotton sweaters because they stretch out and you get maybe two-three good wears out of it and they never look the same after that. But even it was something I would wear, it cost $310. For cotton. Sure, it's Italian cotton, right? It's Burberry, right? So that is automatically something I would like, right? Wrong. But he seemed kind of proud of himself, until he realized it was cotton himself. BTW, he won't wear cotton sweaters either. For $310, he could have given me a GC to Ann Taylor and I could have gone to town. I love their sales racks and it is 95% guaranteed that I will like anything there.
I tried it on. It looked better than I thought. But, still not something I would buy myself even if it was $30. And given it was expensive, I won't wear it until it is a "special" occasion, thus it would be relegated to the bottom drawer in my dresser, to be forgotten until a year late when I am trying to find that pale pink wool cable knit sweater that would be perfect for a football game. I would pull it out and remember that I did not have the guts to tell W that I did not like it and wanted to return it. Or (as my friend Anne recommended) tell him that I was uncomfortable with the money he spent on it and return it. Or tell him it didn't fit and return it. Anything but keep it, thus truly wasting the money.
So, tell me, what would you do? As I said, this is the first time I have ever not liked something he has given me so I am not comfortable with this process.
3 Comments:
Okay, go to my blog and check the entries for like around Dec. 5th - 6th.
Joey got me this amazing bracelet. It's not that I hated it, but it was way expensive and I knew I could never wear it anywhere but maybe once or twice a year.
I used the "I appreciate it but know it was expensive and therefore too expensive to be something I can't wear often" route and he was very understanding. We took it back and exchanged it for something else.
It can be done, it's all in the way you approach it. Since he did so well in the other gifts, you should be golden!
I think Builder Mama hit it on the head with I appreciate it, I know its expensive and I can't wear it that often, I'd love to have something I can wear/have and think of you. Good luck!
Momze says---you have GREAT friends. I agree with them, there is a kind, gentle way to do this.
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