♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #249
The holiday season is just around the corner. What’s the worst
gift you’ve ever received? What’s the worst one you ever given?
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This year, despite the slog of the pandemic, has flown by. I thought for sure I would sit here thinking it dragged on. Nope. Not in the least. Where did all that time go?
For one, I worked most of it. I am blessed to have kept my job, just re-stationed at home. Dear daughter is able to attend daycare for the time being, and caring for her takes up a lot of my free time. This is why it feels so fast. My days are quite full! (The blog fits in there, too!)
Another item that is at a premium these days is cash. Although I am paid a decent salary, salaries have not kept up with inflation across the nation, no longer meeting every day needs. Many find themselves struggling, despite being well-employed. Coupled with single-parenthood, you have to get a bit creative. I shop deals all year and collect items for my daughter. I also save a small amount in a Christmas Club (yes, people can still do those).
It’s all getting tougher, having to save for little one’s future and my own, now. Retirement and college are going to come at approximately the same time! While I was childless, things were tight for me, because I did all I could to save and get my student loans paid off. The mix never ends. It’s just tuition for daycare now, and saving for a retirement still, car payments, rising rent…
My parents experienced the same. So their example, including my mom raised in poverty, helped me to plan ahead and use my creativity. They made Christmas amazing for both me and my brother. I cannot recall a single gift they ever gave me that was awful. And, vice versa. Maybe they could tell me where I went wrong?
However, to answer the question…I recall my aunt’s partner gifting me a bunch of junk one year. There’s no explanation for what that was about. I still have the strange beaded necklace somewhere (that looked like a doll’s piece, or something for a small child), but she also gave me a weird electric drink stirrer, and some other literal trash I threw out when I got it home. I was probably about 17 or 18 years old, but I wasn’t an enigma. This was the same year she told my parents I asked her for a Mickey Mouse watch, after a conversation about them with her. I never asked her for a thing. How she construed the discussion as an ask, I will never know.
Speculatively, I don’t think my Aunt’s partner ever liked me. Not sure what I did, but I have a feeling my aunt told her a lot of stories. My aunt did that about everyone in the family to everyone else in the family. My dad remains confounded about the stories she told us about their father. It’s tragic that some family feel the need to cause such problems.
That gift left me feeling very awkward, anyway, and I would not do that to another person. I honestly rather have nothing to give. Even when I am putting bags together for my daughter’s preschool friends, I make sure that I select fun items they will love. Although I have to watch the price, I can still discern good from bad. Plus, I wouldn’t purposely put together gifts that would make my daughter look foolish, or embarass the other children.
Although, I suspect that my aunt’s partner was being purposeful, I honestly think that that embarrassed her more than it did me. I feel sorry for her, whether it was unintentional or intentional. Forgiveness is hers. If intentional, no doubt that was based on lies. We trust our partners to be honest with us, and I know how that can be a terrible trap.
Let’s hop through the other posts our authors have made by clicking on their links below…
We’ve all had an aunt who has caused trouble in the family. I had one too, and don’t ever remember receiving anything from her at all. It’s good to perfect the art of nodding and smiling when receiving something awful though!
It seems to be the case! I hear a lot about the evil aunts. I determined never to be that, especially when my brother had his daughter. I would not wish it on anyone! LOL
Our family was big enough that presents from uncles and aunts didn’t happen. (11 on my dad’s side, 8 on my mother’s, and there were 9 of us.) But when my daughter was 7 or 8, my mother-in-law gave her kitchen stuff to start her hope chest!
Wow. That’s a bit early to start hoping. LOL Although I was certain I would marry Harrison Ford at 6 years old.
Junk. He gave you actual junk?! :l
(She.) Yes. It was clearly used stuff. It was so uncomfortable. 🙁