How we "celebrated" Black Friday

We told the boy about Santa AND the Tooth Fairy.

I feel better. I have started to loathe the holiday season. As he gets older I like it less and less, based on his reaction to the events of the season. It isn't even a "bah humbug" reaction. I enjoy many aspects of the holidays, just not the gimmies that seem to go with them.

So why the Amazon button over there?---------->

So that no one uses it. Really. Wendall has everything he could want or need. I keep a wish list for him and for me so that I can keep track of things that I might someday want to purchace. I do not have the luxury of wandering aimlessly through bookstores with any sort of selection, and Amazon is kind enough to ship to an APO box (and many of their "marketplace" vendors do as well!), so a good deal of our money is spent at Amazon. The wish list is there for my own use, as a reminder of things that look interesting. That's all.

Beyond all else, he has tastes that are even more specific than mine. He is a collector, so he really likes to be able to pick things for himself. He will appreciate any toy that he is given and he will be thankful that the gift is from YOU, but he really only plays with toys he picks himself. This includes toys I buy for him. Unless he has a hand in picking it out, his interest level is not terribly high.

So ignore it. Please. If you want to send Wendall a gift that he will treasure, send him a picture of you, or even a postcard. We all miss the connections we have with friends and family. His walls are covered with artwork and mementos. He would love to be able to start his very own "family wall" of photos. A book pulled from your shelf, a photo of your dog, or a letter describing your day is a much better gift than any configuration of metal and plastic that you might buy.

In the next few days I will move the button down, probably making it just a link. I hoestly had no idea how big it would be until it was already there, but I have not had time to rearrange.

Thanks for reading my small rant. I don't want to upset anyone, and I don't want to stir things up. The boy was not upset when we discussed Santa and other "magical ideas". He has promised not to discuss it with other kids. Our beliefs are our own, and I would not want him to create a fuss in class by getting his classmates upset. I'm just very tired of not telling the truth about this and about other things. I think that he will have a better appreciation of the season, and of people's beliefs because he has this information.