Shopping Consolidation/Consideration.... in Secrets from myself

I am not a shopper. I lack the shopping gene. I have not very pleasant memories of shopping with my mother. We were always seeking perfection without much money and there was always a good bit of guilt involved.

I don't have much family. At least not much that I buy Christmas presents for. I have two sons, one single whom I live with and who hates Christmas about as much as I do, and one with a wife and two kids who live several hundred miles away but come home fairly regularly. I also have an unmarried sisterinlaw who lives nearby and shares my and my kids' lives.

The last few years the four adults have drawn names and 'everybody' gets the kids things. That has worked better because instead of buying for three adults, you buy for one. There is always some inside consultation about what to get for whom among the three of us, and it's simplified things somewhat.

This year's first innovation was adding the two kids to the drawing. They are now 6 and 9 and old enough to think about buying something for someone. They each have some independent money too. I'm not sure where it comes from. I haven't thought of their finances.

Little light bulb just went on in my head. Maybe I'll start giving them $5 a month? A letter to each on the first? Maybe I'll give them a box of stationery and stamps at Christmas time so they can send me a letter a month. Now that's not a bad idea, is it?

This year's second innovation was having each of us make a list of things we would like as gifts. There would be no obligation for anyone to buy what was on the list, but they would serve as guidelines.

So anyway my home son, Jim, and I went to the city to shop yesterday and we had gone to Walmart last Sunday (my resignation, remember?). Both trips involved a meal out and grocery shopping so they were not rigorous shopping events.

Keep in mind that my son was buying for Katie who's 9 and I was buying for other son son John who is forty something. We were also on the lookout for a few general festive ideas for both kids.

Katie's list included a microscope, a telescope, books related to Hunger Games and Hello Kitty merchandise.

John's list had gloves, walnuts, and history books. And a DVD of the Blues Brothers.

Funny what simple wish lists tell you about people, isn't it?

So now I'm trying to evaluate what I bought and how it relates to the people I bought it for.

First my obvious regrets.

I wish I'd bought a pair of men's gloves at Walmart last Sunday. They had a special display right inside the grocery store entry with 'winter' supplies including two kinds of nice black and gray men's. They were kind of a style between dress and casual and they were not too expensive.

I also wish bought a TY Hello Kitty doll that was less than $10 at Barnes & Noble.

I also wish I'd bought an Origami pad of paper and instructions at Barnes & Noble. The sheets of paper were about six inches square and they were printed on one side with attractive and colorful small figured abstract designs. That kind of thing is a good kitchen table activity for before and after meals and involves everyone.

Those are the things I didn't buy that I wish I had bought. Gloves, Hello Kitty and Origami. The three horsemen of Christmas.

What did I buy?

First Christmas shopping at Walmart brought home a microscope for Katie and a table top pool table for Will.

Yesterday's trip to two book stores resulted in a slew of history books for John, all picked out by his brother:

• The Falls of St. Anthony, subtitled The Waterfall that Built Minneapolis by Lucile M. Kane
  • American History Revised, 200 Startling Facts that never made it into the textbooks by Seymour Morris Jr.
  • Sherman, A Soldier's Passion for Order by John F. Marszalek

I also bought a DVD of the Blues Brothers movie and a copy of the Humans of New York book. The Humans of New York is a compilation from the HumansofNewYork.com photo blog, a recent favorite of mine. It's sealed up and I'm leaving it sealed up so we can all discover it together at some time during the holiday. I also bought a book about the 14 best foods to eat that I may either keep for myself or share with my daughterinlaw.

My son bought one of the Hunger Games precoursor books for Katie. As far as I can tell that was the only money he spent. He did buy lunch both days. I bought gas though. And groceries. I always do.

I took steps to fulfill a childhood fantasy of my own. The big grocery store we go to in the city has pinatas. I've always wanted a pinata. So I got one. I had to get two tall grocery store guys to get it for me. It's not really my favorite one but it was the easiest for them to reach. It's a pink and purple bird man - it's about three feet tall and cost about ten dollars. Only down side is that I get to fill it myself.

So then I had to shop for pinata fillers. I got some suet bird seed, some stickers, a milk chocolate Linz bear covered with gold foil. The bear is so cute I should take it's picture. Grace the dog saw it and fell in love. Also two stuffed toys - one for Gracie and one for Hans, the granddog who travels with the family. I'm thinking of putting a bank calendar in and my some dollar store stuff, pens and pads? Hard candy? Any suggestions?