Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas Shopping and Other Random Things

I did my Christmas Shopping on Saturday. All of it. I did it online. I've done the online Christmas thing every year. I generally get people gift cards or gift certificates because I cannot figure out for the life of me what to get anyone.

I had an exception this year. I got my good friend McA a new HP35 scientific calculator. HP re-released a modern, enhanced version of the HP35, which was their first handheld scientific calculator. McA told me about how he and many of his colleagues used to have these mini-marvels of technology, and how they were built like tanks.

He told me about one of his peers had lost his HP35. He didn't know where it went at all. It was wintertime and drifts were pretty tall, so he figured it was rotting in the snow someplace. He found it a few weeks later after the snow cleared. He charged the battery and it worked just like normal. All of the early HP calculators were tough as nails. I doubt the new one will be this tough, but he was thrilled to receive it. McA has, traditionally, worn out calculators about once a year. He has a small stock of HP20 calculators, just in case he loses, wears out or destroys the one he is using at present.

Just for interest, the original HP35 was list priced for a low, low $695. The new HP35 was only $59. The new one also included a limited-edition DVD of the history of HP calculators. Yay!

Everyone else got gift cards, even my parental units. My mother, likewise, was wholly unsure of what to get father. What DO you get a man that has everything? A gift card. It was either that or a box of bullets. Mother and I were going to put our money together and get him a laptop, but we couldn't find one suitable that was within our budget. Before I buy a laptop or computer for anyone in my family, since I have to work on them and maintain them, I have a number of specifics that have to be fulfilled...such as a decent warranty, good driver support, etc. It is similar to my requirements at work...this is why I buy Dells. (No flames, please.) Dell may not be the most reliable or the best, but I can always...ALWAYS...get parts, and I have never had any serious problems with any Dell I have ever had.

Since father is an ex-Navy Seal, he likes his little shooting games. He is a truck driver, and is gone all week and comes home on the weekend. He plays his computer games on the weekend and has a PlayStation 2 in the truck hooked to his TV. This makes a gift certificate a perfect gift, because we have no clue as to what games he would like, and what he has beaten. I swear I should get him into the pro video gamer circuit! He could take out most of those snively little video gamer punks!

Gift cards are wholly impersonal and show a complete lack of trying. I can't help it. Neither can mom or dad. We usually get a surprise gift or two for each other, but nothing very extravagant. Well, the TV last year was an exception. Most of the effort we put into gifts at Christmastime is directed into baking bread, making fudge, coated popcorn and other treats for the neighbors and people we work with. I believe that mom made 10 loaves of bread this year. Last year she made about 35. She had to cut down, lest she become burnt out.

Christmas is a very hectic time for all of us. For me, there are numerous projects that I have to make sure that are completed before the end of the year. But I do like Christmas, even though I would not admit it. I have a lot of fond memories of spending time with my beloved grandmother during Christmas break, eating vast quantities of food, candies, cake, pie and other assorted delights. I miss my mamaw terribly, and Christmas usually brings with it a certain amount of sadness. You cannot have one without the other, that is what makes us human.

'Tis the season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Blessed Kwanzaa everyone!

3 comments:

Shari said...

I'm really torn on the idea of gift cards. Somehow, it seems that they exist because we all have more than enough stuff and can't think of anything we want or need. If figure that, if it's that hard to think of something then perhaps no gift-giving at all is in order.

On the other hand, it's like giving someone the freedom to get what they want at another time, so that's rather valuable and considerate.

I guess one of the reasons Christmas is so much bigger a deal for kids is that they don't have the financial freedom to do whatever they want and still have a list of things they don't have.

badmoodguy (Бадмўдгуи) said...

I believe that I agree with your assessment...do we have so much that we no longer need anything? I would say yes. Gone are the days when a toy or game or random thing was a treat and a treasure that you could only expect as a special Christmas gift.

With kids not always having money to spend, this would hold true. Those of us that are no longer kids really have no use for Christmas...at least in the way of gift giving and other stuff.

I think as we age, we become more aware that Christmas is a time for sharing and togetherness. And some of us can use it as a time to reflect and be thankful that we can be here to share it with everyone else.

Shari said...

Yes, I think it is all about sharing and togetherness. I think that's why we tend to bond over food more as we age...despite the potential unfortunate waist-expanding side effects. ;-)