tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post857453319262198223..comments2024-03-28T22:51:32.258+00:00Comments on Shadows & Light: The Messy RealitiesSteve Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11684120060438252945noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post-57508990933610805402013-12-20T22:15:54.117+00:002013-12-20T22:15:54.117+00:00Your brother is right - kids add complications. It...Your brother is right - kids add complications. It just reaffirms my decision not to have any :)<br /><br />But I still have gift anxiety. I'm not terribly good at it, but I still feel a need to try. I keep thinking that this will be the year I tell my brother & his wife not to bother with gifts for us - but our time spent exchanging presents is sometimes the most rewarding time we spend as a family. We don't see each other often enough - it's just nice to sit around & surprise each other :)The Bughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07509037206264761261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post-29729815591689579952013-12-20T16:25:42.272+00:002013-12-20T16:25:42.272+00:00The stereotype exists because not only do you have...The stereotype exists because not only do you have to deal with the blending of families, which any mariage would create, but throw in rugrats and now as a parent you have the pressure of trying to create memorable holiday experiences for your kids to boot. It adds another layer, undeniably. As brothers we've looked back on things mom and dad did for us and on our own holiday experiences and now I feel like I have to create those moments for the girls. Olga just wants to lick her own ass and chase a squirrel. utahDOG!https://www.blogger.com/profile/04574614138539392895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post-88002518804213390252013-12-19T19:49:16.839+00:002013-12-19T19:49:16.839+00:00Yes, I would use caution too in waking a sleeping ...Yes, I would use caution too in waking a sleeping impaired person, especially at that hour of the morning. You never know. I don't think you have a Grinch heart. :)<br /><br />It's too bad that our country (US) seems to gauge how prosperous we are (as a country) by how much people spend on Christmas. It's ridiculous.Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875008154587045790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post-84650264536530315672013-12-19T15:51:23.526+00:002013-12-19T15:51:23.526+00:00I chose to not celebrate christmas long ago. I...I chose to not celebrate christmas long ago. I'm not christian for one thing though I was raised as such. but mainly I don't do christmas because I rebel against the (oxymoronic) obligatory gift giving and the angst that goes along with that...don't really like that person, can't find the 'perfect' gift, the going into debt or spending money you can't really afford, the 2 months of commercials, the promoting of the 'happiest' time of year, the tendency of people to say when tragedy strikes that is it worse because it happened at this time of year...I could go on but I think you get the message. I do give my grandkids a gift and sometimes my kids when I have the money and I can think of something that they want or would like but I don't buy something just because I'm supposed to give them a present. ellen abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00535475792150335186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5123631695572626256.post-2230719372683174642013-12-19T12:50:33.290+00:002013-12-19T12:50:33.290+00:00I'm still completely overwhelmed by the holida...I'm still completely overwhelmed by the holiday. It's...not good. <br />Ms. Moonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09776404747858099919noreply@blogger.com