I know we were frugal, but seriously?

I have been reminiscing on Christmas’s years ago.

Back in the day when it was just the three of us, money was tight even though we didn’t think much of it. When Christmas time came around, we (or really I should say I) had to get inventive and make the money stretch.

I vividly remember (thanks to the help of home video) one particular year when Taylor was probably 3 years old. I bought him a collapsible laundry hamper. Plain.old.white. No, there was not a Thomas the Tank Engine on it or even a Spider Man. Momma was cheap and bought white. I thought it could double as a toy basket. I could get away with it since he was so little. Sweet Taylor opened it and immediately used it as a fort, placing it over his head. It was almost as good as giving a kid a cardboard box to play with. He brought a toy in with him and ended up getting stuck due to the lack of room. It was funny to watch.

That same Christmas morning Jason was preparing to open one of his “gifts” I had bought him. I still look back at this and say to myself, what in the world was I thinking. (And I can’t believe I am admitting this.) I bought AND wrapped him a package of fire log starters. You know, those wax bricks that you light to help get your fire going. Lame, yes. I completely agree. But practical and cheap – there is no doubt about it. I am not sure if the look on his face was that of surprise or that of “my wife has gone off the deep edge”. We laugh about it to this day. Also that year I put together a stocking for him. And of all things, I included bungee cords, circus peanuts, a bottle of water, a toothbrush and gum among other useless things. All this for an adult. No I am not kidding. You think I would make these things up?

But, isn’t that what Christmas memories are all about?

What fun is it if you can’t look back and chuckle?

I like to think my gift giving has improved; therefore there will be no fire starter logs or white collapsible hampers to wrap this year. I will be classy and step it up a level. I just need to figure out what the next level will actually be.

So now it’s your turn. Have you ever given a really bad gift or have you been the recipient of one? I’d love to hear all about it.