Every year, Ella and Vanessa’s elementary school sets up a holiday shop where the kids can go and buy their very own holiday gifts. This year, as in the past, each of them were sent home with an envelope that allowed me to write the names of the people they should buy for and how much to spend for each respective gift. I filled out all of the information on the card for those of us who are at our house on Christmas morning – Adam, my mom, my dad and our dog. I allotted $10 for each person on the list and put $50 in each of the envelopes for my girls. When Adam saw the envelope and money, he turned to me with surprise. “Are you really sending the kids to school with $50 in cash? Each! For school Christmas shopping? What do you think they are selling?” Of course, I told him that I didn’t want them to not have enough money in case they saw something great. He walked away knowing he'd lose this battle. After shopping at school, the girls came home that afternoon with lots of wrapped gifts and put them under the tree. A few days later, I was picking up the kids from school and saw a fellow mom friend in the hall. I knew she often worked the holiday store. Curious I asked her what other kids would bring in to shop. She told me between $5 and $10. Total. I asked in an embarrassed tone, “so it looks like my kids bring the most?” She simply responded “Every year.” Well, how would I know if no one ever told me and my kids don’t come home with much change? What the hell are the doing with the balance? And OK, so maybe I should have questioned how a pen with a rose on it and a #1 Mom key-chain could cost so much.... but who can honestly shop with only $10 anyway? Even I spend at least $50 in the dollar store!
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