I made it without a single tear
5:13 p.m. x 2002-12-14
Today, I went Christmas shopping.
Yes, you read that right.
I took Brittany with me for a girls' day out and we went to the grocery store for money orders, the mall, and Family Dollar. Kimberley went with Tabatha for the day and Ronald is taking his turn spending the night with Grandma.
I got some stuff for the kids' cousins from Sears, as well as a black, red, and white dress for Kimberley that she'll get as a Christmas gift and wear as a Christmas dress.
I went to Hot Topic and got a new hood ring. Its silver with a blue rhinestone in it.
I went to KayBee toys and got Brittany a Barbie Corvette and a Princess Bride Barbie (she thinks I bought these for her cousins). I got Ronald a pack of 20 race cars and a fisher price race track. I got Kimberley one of those toys with the beads that slide around on the track.
I got us each an ornament for the tree. I got myself a cow. I got Ronald an elmo. Brittany got a bell with her name on it, and Kimberley got a pink one that looks like a baby outfit on a hanger.
I bought food at McDonald's and rented a car stroller for Brittany, so she wouldn't have to walk or feel alientated for riding in a stroller. (These were actually the first things I did.)
After all was said and done at the mall, I took her to see Santa so she could tell him if there was anything that her 'cousins' got that she might want. I'm hoping she falls for it. She's getting really observant and a bit too clever and if I do get away with it, this will be the last year I can convince her.
So, after we were done, I turned in the stroller and we headed to Family Dollar for wrapping paper.
On the way down Perryville, she said "Mom, that Santa was just a helper." Then she got really quiet and said "Those Santas don't sound the same." It was too cute, but I had to give her the lame speech about how Santa is too busy to go to all the malls so he has to send helpers.
Next year, she's not going to buy it and I'm going to have to give her the talk about Santa really being Mommy. My little girl is growing up too fast.
In a way, I do feel a bit of relief though. That's one less kid to feel that twinge of guilt over when I lie to them and make up excuses for a pretend fat man that's supposedly 400+ years old.
So anyway, back to shopping.
We went to Family Dollar and I got wrapping paper. I got some toe socks for my cousin Destinee and coloring books for stocking stuffers. I got a rooster knick knack for my mom's boyfriend and these cards that are also calendars for those last minute gifts that I always forget to buy.
Grand total, not counting the money orders: $180
Some of the stuff I got on ebay is going to go for gifts, and the stuff I got from amazon is all gifts. I blew my wad but that's the real meaning of Christmas these days anyway, isn't it?