Turn Down That Music and Get Off My Lawn Moment?
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OMG the way I wanted clothes from Delia’s back in the day. The only time I ever got anything from there was when I was a HS freshman. I was living in my HS’s dorms and another girl who boarded — a senior — gave me a pair of Delia’s jeans that she no longer wanted. They were low rise flare jeans that faded from dark wash at the top to light wash at the bottom and had embroidered purple flowers on the bottom of one pant leg. I thought they were the coolest and felt like the hottest shit in them. I did also like Roxy but we did live on the west coast near the beach for a bit. I graduated from HS in the mid-aughts, by which point we were in the midwest, and credit the show Laguna Beach with the obsession kids my age had with dressing like we were about to shred a gnarly wave regardless of where we lived.
Lululemon now sells gently used clothes at a discount, for anyone not in the know. I’ve turned more to thrifting as I’ve gotten older. I can finally afford a lot of what I want, but… no longer really want it in the same way?
I rent most of my clothes, but I buy stuff like Frankies Bikinis that I see online and have to have.
Yeah, so skin is the new way to sell “health.” Influencers used to be able to talk about body weight as unhealthy, but they can’t anymore. So now skin is the big thing that signals healthy or unhealthy, so you’re desperate to get your hands on whatever regimen they’re selling you that will give you that beautiful glowy skin. It’s really insidious. We all know less is more, and I’ve rarely tried a prestige skin product that did anything noticeably better for my skin than drugstore stuff. But kids don’t know that.
TBH I am 48 and I would be thrilled if someone gave me $100 cash and a stocking gift! You sound like a really lovely and thoughtful Aunty. (I am giving my nephews much less, I love them dearly but my budget is right this year.)
TBH I am 48 and I would be thrilled if someone gave me $100 cash and a stocking gift! You sound like a really lovely and thoughtful Aunty. (I am giving my nephews much less, I love them dearly but my budget is right this year.)
Im not a parent and probably am the last person to give advice on parenting stuff like what to give your children for Christmas. But im a high schooler and i remember when i was 12 or something that my mum tried the nicest ways to say no to my outrageous christmas wishlists lol. I’d say ur tween is just tryna indirectly tell you the stuff they’d like or wut they’re interested in. But it doesn’t mean that you go full Genie mode and give them everything they ask for. They’re old enuf to understand the value of money. One thing my mum did to help make this fun was to encourage me to buy things only during sales. This started when i was 13 and i know it sounds hella cheap but there’s just something different when u snag expensive, quality products at the price of peanuts during Black friday sale lmao.(yes, im asian and i bet the biggest flex during the holidays is how less u spent on gifts lol). Basically, being creative can really help teach your tweenagers to handle money effectively and also makes conversations like these go smoothly. The holidays are prolly the best time to do this. I don’t think you’ll have any problem figuring it out tho.
Good luck and enjoy ur holidays!
@IDEK also shit, im an idiot and didn’t read the first few lines and thought u were the parent of these tweens. Sorry for that.
Alright, now that it’s Christmas Eve, can do a breakdown of what I/we bought/spent on some gifts.
I got the boyfriend socks and a book about mezcal with cocktail recipes ($35 or so total).
We got the 13-year-old niece a Lululemon belt bag ($44) and the 10-year-old niece two craft kits (~$40). We see them tomorrow and split the cost of their gifts. Gift cards for the other three that we will not see and the bf took care of that.
I got my mom, sister, and I matching “cozy wrap jackets.” These were pricier, like $70 each, but I had store cash to offset the cost.
I got my dad a vase from my pottery studio ($35) and the bf’s mom a bowl I made (priceless). I got the bf’s SIL a book I think she’ll like — we like exchanging books — and a tote bag from the book store, which is run by a literacy nonprofit I volunteer for ($25).
So yes. My guesstimate of ~$50 or less per person with some splurges mixed in was accurate. The cozy wrap jacket was the splurge of the season but I didn’t pay full price.
I am excited for the festivities to end actually, haha. I can never relax until gifts are given and any hosting obligations are over. I hope you all enjoy the holidays and get to rest and recharge.
“Bowl I made (priceless)” Yes, copa!!!
We’re having a less extravagant christmas this year than in years past now that they are older. I literally locked myself in my bedroom today and wrapped everything. Usually we, (and by we I mean my husband) wraps everything Christmas Eve night because by that point I’ve had a mental breakdown and can’t function. This year, it didn’t happen and I set him up for a pleasant night. I probably spent $150 or more a kid. Plus they get other gifts. Yes, I have a problem. For my husband I got a wooden spoon because he lost his favorite one- I think it was accidentally thrown away at a party. I also got him really nice shoes. I know he got me a nice handmade ring by an artist in Philly and probably a lot of chocolate. My daughter got almost exclusively squishmallows ir squishmallow branded stuff and art supplies. My son games. STEM and robotic stuff.
LOL I seriously woke up having a nightmare that my children were waking me up because “Grandpa is on the phone!” It sounds dramatic but I hate how all the crazy people I have spent all year avoiding come out of the woodwork on already stressful holidays only. Also, he won’t call and hasn’t called because my father is less emotionally mature than my 8 year old.
My FIL literally plopped hosting in my lap a few days ago and I said yes but then said, actually No thanks. We haven’t heard from anyone in awhile and I don’t feel like shelling out for everyone on a substitute teachers salary.
I am trying to think how I can get the jump on this for next year. Going on vacation and turning my phone off seems like a great idea.
Merry Christmas everyone! It’s Christmas morning here and a gorgeous day. Waiting for big storms later but hopefully we can get to the beach first.
We keep a fairly streamlined Christmas, it’s pretty much just each other and maybe my mum and her partner if we find anything good.
This year I got my husband a stand up paddle board for like $150, then a cigar ashtray and stand for about $60.
He got me tickets to the Drag Race Snatch Game tour next year, a few board games and a copy of Uno No Mercy for today.
I found a really funny flag that says ‘beware of (mums partner’s name) so I got them that. Where they live is pretty much all grey nomads and they all have flag poles with novelty flags on them that they change out frequently. Apparently communicating like pirates is the hotness among our nation’s pensioners.
We’re having lunch at the unit mum has rented from my brother for the holidays (they run a block of holiday rentals) which is right on the beach, it’s nice and should be fairly low stress. God I hope so.
Ooh, I forgot to wrap the concert tickets I got “for my husband” but they’re really for me, ha ha.
We hosted my (divorced) parents and sister this afternoon and for dinner. It was stressful. The cleaning, the shopping, the cooking and hosting. I wish I enjoyed being around them but I’m very high strung when we’re together, so I am glad everyone is gone.
This December felt more rushed and stressed than usual, and it’s always a month that feels jam packed for me in a way I don’t even find pleasant.
Tomorrow we will be the guests and not the hosts, but have morning plans with my family then afternoon/evening plans with the boyfriend’s family who live in a far flung suburb.
I spent a little more on my sisters this year, but since their birthdays are Nov/Dec, I combined the two to get them the more expensive gift, a pretty lightweight robe with their birth month flowers. I got one for myself too. 😁
The nephew got a dinosaur. The three year old niece got a mermaid blanket and jewelry making kit. The 14 year old got a hoodie she wanted. The 18 years got a pair of socks and a pin, but she’s still coasting on her Italy trip. Presents will go back to normal next year.
The husband and I won’t do presents til I get back home. He still spends Xmas with his fam (as an only) and I like to be with my nieces and nephews.
