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Saving Grandma the trouble
My mom's 79 and my dad's 83 and they're coming down this week for the holidays. And it's become harder and harder to buy presents for the kids.
So, we're doing this game this year: We take Aaron to Toys 'R Us, have him pick out the stuff he wants.
Then we'll wrap it. He'll open it on Christmas. Act surprised. Mom writes a check, reimbursing me.
I'd just go out and buy him the stuff on my own, but I really don't know what the heck he wants. He's not a toy or game kind of kid. He likes Nintendo games -- but isn't really a glutton. During the year, if we want to buy something, we just buy it.
He doesn't get sucked into the latest fad, and he's generally happy with what he has. Which makes him very, very difficult to buy for, at age 11.
He has become, um ... me?
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Comments
Your son sounds like a refreshly nice kid. Just an idea. Why don't your parents take him shopping instead of you and then to lunch? Or to an outing somewhere? If he's not into "stuff", spending time seems like a great way for your parents to give a memorable Christmas.
Posted by: Amy | December 23, 2007 10:01 PM
We pretty much do the same with my wife's elderly parents. They simply cannot get around and honestly have no clue what to get the kids. However, we will do the shopping, based upon the list already provided to "Santa" and make sure that two or three desired items are also found at Grandma's house. We then wrap the presents and drop them off a few days before the holiday. The idea of a lunch or shopping spree with the Grandparents is great if they are physically able, but in our case, with my father-in-law being 80 and wheelchair bound and my 79 year-old mother-in-law struggling with a cane, it would be way too much to ask.
Posted by: JohnD | January 9, 2008 1:16 PM