As of late, in my older and disabled stage of life, I am following my grandmother’s advice (miss you Grandma!). We no longer buy the adult kids birthday gifts, just the grands (fixed income…) so each month, we buy the xmas gifts for those adult kids and wrap them and put them in the xmas totes. Then at xmas/Yule we just need to buy for the little ones and the December adults. SOO much less stressful. Oh and I keep a spreadsheet of what I bought because, ya know, memory…
I think this is how my mother’s hoarding mania started. She established, administered and taught the computer lab at the local school. However, she was always on the lookout for special, little gifts and holiday decorations to motivate students who had trouble learning. She did this for forty years and her house was full of such potentials gifts and the craft tools and supplies for the decorations. After she started becoming mobility-limited by age, she still thought she might return to teaching (although she was in her 80s). I’m sure she would have, at some point, donated these items to charity but her condition slowly deteriorated to the point where she could not climb to second floor reserved for her treasure trove.
I have donated as much as I could get together to the local Goodwill Industries in time for Christmas. Please, people, think of what your little treasures could be doing to help those less fortunate. You will get a much better feeling than wishing you had.
SnowBunny12 11 months ago
Just donate everything and only buy what you need.
Grace Premium Member 11 months ago
As of late, in my older and disabled stage of life, I am following my grandmother’s advice (miss you Grandma!). We no longer buy the adult kids birthday gifts, just the grands (fixed income…) so each month, we buy the xmas gifts for those adult kids and wrap them and put them in the xmas totes. Then at xmas/Yule we just need to buy for the little ones and the December adults. SOO much less stressful. Oh and I keep a spreadsheet of what I bought because, ya know, memory…
rgcviper 11 months ago
A vicious cycle, isn’t it? Hope Cathy’s mom finds a system to keep track of this gift-giving stuff.
HI, MOM. Happy Sunday, Clan.
mistercatworks 11 months ago
I think this is how my mother’s hoarding mania started. She established, administered and taught the computer lab at the local school. However, she was always on the lookout for special, little gifts and holiday decorations to motivate students who had trouble learning. She did this for forty years and her house was full of such potentials gifts and the craft tools and supplies for the decorations. After she started becoming mobility-limited by age, she still thought she might return to teaching (although she was in her 80s). I’m sure she would have, at some point, donated these items to charity but her condition slowly deteriorated to the point where she could not climb to second floor reserved for her treasure trove.
I have donated as much as I could get together to the local Goodwill Industries in time for Christmas. Please, people, think of what your little treasures could be doing to help those less fortunate. You will get a much better feeling than wishing you had.
lindz.coop Premium Member 11 months ago
Didn’t need to…