I'll sit on Santa's lap, but I'm not giving him a list.

Alright friends, it’s time to pull out my soapbox.  Okay, it’s actually time to stretch out my legs and scoot my spinning chair back a little.. but either way it’s about to get OPINIONATED in here!  Ha.

Today I am wearing one of my Christmas gifts (read: item I bought myself while Christmas shopping).  It is a lace jacket-ish thing that I got at NY&Co for $9.99 (originally $40!).  It looks like a doily from the 1900s, something from an antique store, your grandma’s tablecloth.  A co worker told me he wanted to put a lamp on my shoulder.  Despite its humorous attributes, I love it.

if it looks like a table and acts like a table...

A different co worker tells me he bought his wife something similar from Kohl’s as one of her Christmas presents.  At first I thought he said he bought his wife a lace tablecloth for Christmas (which I thought was odd...).  He corrected me, though admitting that a lace tablecloth would be better than gifts he gave her in the past.  When I inquired, he told me of the time he got his wife a gardening tool kit (which she hated) because she liked to plant flowers and how she has never let him live it down.  “You women are hard to please,” he said. 

EXCUSE ME!?

This goes out to the females out there who make us all look high maintenance, picky, and generally ungrateful.  You ANNOY me.  (disclaimer:  I’m not saying his wife is one of those people – sometimes awkward gifts can cause humor, but his situation just reminds me of these types of people regardless)

When it comes to gifts between spouses/dating couples/anyone really, it is definitely the thought that counts.  If you want something specific so bad, save your money and buy it yourself.  I’ve gotten some weird gifts in the past, but the thoughts behind them were genuine and that is what means the most. 

Lists.  Lists annoy me.  If someone asks me for one, fine.  If someone asks for a suggestion for a gift for me, fine.  HOWEVER, I am not going to just hand someone a list and say “this is what I want for Christmas.” (read:  you don’t know me well enough to even get me a gift card to the right store so just let me do this for you).

I’d rather get a handwritten note than the Dooney & Bourke purse I (actually) want in Macy’s (I never have the desire to buy name brand purses...).  I’d rather have a picnic with a steak quesadilla from Taco Bell than a steak dinner that costs more than my outfit.  My favorite shirt is from Wal-Mart.  My favorite gift was a CD with a slideshow of pictures.  Favorite purse?  Goodwill gem.  One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year?  My very own Marcel the Shell(made by my mom, Hilarious!). 

my only friend.

Stop being ridiculous; you make the rest of us look bad. Give these guys some room to be creative.  If they know you well enough, (which they should, if they love you!) they won’t completely destroy your holidays.

That’s all, except one more disclaimer – I am aware that lists do not always mean what I am assuming... but let’s be honest, a lot of times they do, especially in relationships.  So if you are a list maker similar to my sister, I am not talking about you.  If you are a list maker like my stereotypical imaginary person, I’m talking to YOU.