It's been a while since I participated in the "What I Learned This Week" feature from Musings of a Housewife. When I had my old blog, I would participate in a bunch of them each and every week, straining for things to say. Now I only do them when I really DO have something to say....I guess that is what I learned this year!
Anyway....
Lessons Learned that I Should Remember for Next Christmas
1. I don't think I want to go near a store, mall or any other retail outlet between Thanksgiving and Christmas ever again. Some people consider the crowds and craziness part of the "fun" of Christmas. Not me! I did 98% of my shopping online and the few times I did venture in to a store, I was either elbowed in the neck or a witness to serious Parking Lot Road Rage. One of my friends was even called a "certain part of the male anatomy" when a woman saw him walking with the last one of the toy she had wanted, and he refused to fork it over.
2. Don't try to bake cookies after having consumed an entire bottle of wine. Just trust me on this one.
3. The Polar Express, while one of my favorite movies, just plants the seed of doubt in children. Before watching it, my 6 and 8 year old had never even considered the possibility of people not believing in Santa. I tried to explain to them that it's just like how some people don't believe in God, and that it's something that you just have to take on faith. As soon as I started patting myself on the back for being so clever, my 6-year old starting questioning the existence of God. Good Job Min!
4. Despite photo Christmas cards being pretty much free everywhere for the last month, people don't seem to be sending as many Christmas cards of any kind. I have received about ⅓ of the cards I got last year, so either people aren't sending them or I pissed a whole bunch of people off this year!
5. My husband deserves Sainthood Status for many reasons, not the least of which is that he practically did all the cleaning in the house for the last 2 weeks (although he still doesn't understand the magical way in which the washer & dryer work).
6. I now know why my mother got so psychotic when we decorated the tree and wouldn't let us touch her "special" ornaments from her childhood. I literally cried when the $.30 ornament that my grandmother gave me in 1974 broke. And then my daughter started crying because I was crying. And then my 8-year old started yelling at my daughter because she was whining. It was quite the Norman Rockwell moment!
7. Insomnia sucks. I somehow got in to a cycle of waking up at 4:00am no matter what time I go to bed. And if I happen to go to bed before 10:00pm? Let's just say that I started writing this at 3:17...in the morning.
8. I have everything I need and most of what I want (except this. I want this bag). My wants and needs have gone down dramatically in the past few years and it became very evident as the phone calls and emails from family started coming in asking what I want for Christmas. If it wasn't for finding this deal on Amazon, I would have had nothing to tell my father (I was originally going to buy it for myself before I realized I should tell my dad about it!).
9. Ok - there is one other thing I want....I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle (with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time)!
10. Oh - and another thing that I want? I want each and every one of you to have a very Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate). And - I want to thank you for continuing to come here and read this site. (I guess that was two more things)
What did you learn this week?
To see more of what people learned, head on over to Musings Of A Housewife!
Tammy
Mindy,
What a great, great list. You are so funny at 3:17 in the morning...just think of how hilarious you'd be if you had a proper night's sleep! Thanks for making me laugh before 8 AM.
Jan
I'm right with you on #1. I actually started my shopping right after last Christmas, at the CVS clearance rack! And yes for me too on #8, although I did treat myself to some nifty Fons and Porter directional quilting pins ... now if I only had time to sew! LOL. Merry Christmas and thanks for all the great posts this year. Love your blog 🙂
Emily/Randomability
Not necessarily a Christmas thing that i learned but make sure the contacts are either on your eyes or in your hand before you dump the solution out of the case.
Kelly W
Merry Christmas Mindi! You are so right about the Polar Express. I have been fielding lots of questions this year from my 9 and 6 year old. I am going to have to find a way to clue in the 9 year old without ending it for everyone.
Thanks for a great year of saving!
Kelly
Heather
What I learned last night when I ran out to replace my electric blanket that died :
Target should not allow people to fill out credit card apps at the register at Christmastime. Nor should they EVER allow people to fill out apps at the express lanes. Target needs to keep more than four registers open in the evening four days before Christmas.
And - Home Depot needs to have more than one register open and discipline employees that like to stand around and chit chat with the employee working the only open register in the entire store.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! 😛
Meghan
I am glad that someone else is getting less Christmas cards this year too, because I have also noticed a sharp decline in the number of cards we've received (even though this year we sent out more than ever.....gotta love getting 150 cards for about $3 total, thanks to your blog!). I have been hoping it's not because I pissed a lot of friends off, too. 🙂 I toy with going to an e-Card to save paper, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I love Christmas card season!
Brooke
You are a very wise woman. Thanks for sharing some of your wisdom with us. 🙂
Kim
Merry Christmas Mindi! My husband just bought my son the Red Rider yesterday at Walmart.
I think its really for him, he just doesn't want to admit it. So my oldest will have the best Christmas ever. Not sure we will be able to top this year.
We too have gotten less cards and I am one of the ones not sending any. Too much to do, so that fell off of the list this year.
Kelly K.
We have only gotten 2 cards, although, I am guilty of not sending them out.
I must admit, last night in the Coach outlet I found myself skimming the racks for that bag, iPhone in hand to leave a comment if I saw it! No such luck 🙁 We did however find my hubbys mom a nice wallet (for 20% off) In another store we got NFL jerseys buy 1 get 1 free! Good thing you & my friend have been helping me save money so we could get these additional things!
Merry Christmas!
Viki
I can so relate to the sleeping problems. But mine is I've been getting up early and staying up late. Then sometime during the day I take a nap and I don't even have any kids at home anymore LOL.
Loved your list. I know a lot of people, me included, who haven't got as many Christmas cards. Either it's the economy or a whole lot of people are mad at a whole lot of people 😉
Janmary, N Ireland
Wonderful lessons - so glad you joined in this week.
I too have some "precious" ornaments - and so far this year they have survived.
Merry Christmas to you and yours from N Ireland.
Mary
I agree with alot of what you wrote -especially the ornaments. I had the same thing happen. Also, I have only gotten a few cards this year and was thinking that I pissed people off too.
Hope you have a great Christmas too!
Leslee
Not as many cards here either. I have mine to send, they just haven't made it in the mail yet. They do say Happy Holidays so that means they're good after Christmas right :)? Thank you for all you do. I have learned so much in the last 6 months and have saved so much thanks to you! Merry Christmas!
Clodyo
Love the list! It made me laugh and realize I am not the only one out there experiencing just about everything you wrote about - even baking cookies after too much wine! 😉 I have also noticed a difference in Christmas cards this year. The cards started coming in much later this year. In the past we received cards right after Thanksgiving but they did not start coming in until mid December.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Liz
I have thoroughly enjoyed your site this fall. It actually saved me from going crazy by having something to concentrate on outside of my life. By the way it is 4:30 am. Are you up?
Mindi Cherry
😉
I was up at 3:50am today....trying to get all the grocery & drug posts done and scheduled so that I can relax this weekend!
Sonia
Merry Christmas Mindy and thanks for having the best $ saving blog out there! I actually sent cards out again, for the 1st time in 3 yrs. I had a complete freak out when my boys pulled every ornament out of the boxes in 5 mins flat (neat freak peeps hate when the boxes get messed up - that makes for a nice childhood memory for my monkeys). The lesson I learned this season, going back to work full time = no time! skip the baking totally and get a much earlier start on shopping. I have to go out today (!!!!) with a-fore mentioned monkeys. I hope we survive......
Hope Santa brings you a normal sleep schedule!
Sonia