The Good, Bad and the Painfully Practical

Sometimes it’s not such a good thing to be practical. It happens every Christmas. I have a wish list on Amazon for the kids where I add ideas all year long of things I could get them for their birthdays or Christmas. I also add some of my own wishes to the list so I don’t forget them. It works really well because the list is always handy to anyone who might want to get the kids anything and I use it as a list for the home schooling items I have waded through and have decided to purchase. As home schooling moms know, there is a LOT to sort through, so the Amazon list works like a charm.

It’s not so charming when you are the chief cook and bottle washer AND the person responsible for getting presents under the tree for everyone…self included. My practical and organizational side is always perfect for keeping the house running smoothly, but when it comes to Christmas presents, I’m beginning to wish I wasn’t so practical, so organized. Reason being, humility aside, I end up buying presents for three very important people, those being me, myself and I.

Hubby says I’m hard to buy for. How can that be when I have a list? Granted, he gets stuck buying Christmas and birthday presents all at the same time, but there is a list!!!

I ordered the kids and hubby some items from Amazon and, like all the other years, have asked hubby if I should just order the items I have for myself on the wish list too since, after all, I’m already ordering and you get free shipping on orders over $25. Yep, order away. So, Christmas gift opening is pretty lackluster because I know all the gifts and have even started to read some of them. (Yes, I’ll admit that hubby's wrapping the presents after I already know what they are is pretty darn IMpractical!)

So, here’s a little peek at what I got, I mean hubby, bought me this year.


Most of the items are good. Christian Perfection and Contemplation, along with The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life are by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP. St. Monica, The Power of a Mother’s Love is by Father Giovanni Falbo, and Father Hardon’s Catholic Prayer Book with Meditations.

The bad is the irreverent and humorous, The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Wine, Whiskey and Song, A Spirited Look at Catholic Life and Lore from Apocalypse to Zinfandel (which is for my husband).

(Thanks to Ma Beck for the recommendations on Father Hardon’s book and the Bad Catholic’s Guide).

I also got the CD, Lost in Mediation, Meditative Gregorian Chant for my husband. I got myself a CD of Mozart’s Requiem for Christmas, and have been playing that since early November (it is the Sir Georg Solti version and it is EXCELLENT).

Hubby also got me a deep fryer at the after Thanksgiving sales, which I told him about when we were out shopping that day and it only made sense to buy it right then and there because it was only on sale for about another hour or so. I’ve already used that a few times too.

Now that hubby's family isn't going to do the gift exchange at Christmas anymore, which is the one unknown present I typically got, I don't know if any of my presents will be a surprise.

Oh, wait. Never fear. My mother-in-law will always find a way to surprise me ;}