wishlists

Ah, yes… it’s Winter Holiday Solstice Christmas Whatever Time. Time to hear all my co-workers tell me how they’re done with their Christmas shopping (to be fair, one co-worker just bought all her family their own Kindle and is giving a gift basket to neighbors). Time to reflect on how I haven’t even thought of what to get people for Christmas, much less what I want for Christmas.

Here’s the thing: I don’t really want anything for Christmas. Yes, there are things on my Amazon.com wish list and we spent two hours registering for household goods at Bed, Bath & Beyond, but the reality is that I just buy myself whatever I want at the moment and if they’re on my wish list it’s because I’m not really sure if I want it that badly. Or, it’s too expensive. We spend a good amount of time throughout the year piling things in the Salvation Army pile, trying to de-clutter our house.

The last couple of years, I’ve been buying Travis “experiences” instead of gifts. A bbq class, a dorky Segway experience at the Wild Animal Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Somehow, he still manages to get me presents that I didn’t know I wanted but am very happy to have received.

Part of me would like to request that we go to dinner somewhere we’ve never gone before because it’s out of our normal dining-out price range. Or go to a fancy chef’s dinner. Or buy tickets to some Slow Food event where you stand in a huge field and sample dozens of tasty bites.

What I really want is just not something you ask Santa for.

I’d like to tear down our bee-infested shed and put up a new one.

I’d like to tear down the termite-eaten shed and put up a new one.

I’d like to move the chicken enclosure to the back part of the yard and not lose any chickens in the process.

I’d like to properly insulate the attic and replace the completely inefficient old windows in the house.

I’d like to build a second story addition to the house with a real master bedroom and maybe a second small office. (Seriously, this is on our might-actually-do list. If anyone has any info on adding a second story to your house, I’d love to hear it.)

All I want for Christmas is more time. Time just hanging out with friends, at home, eating tasty burritos or grilled tri tip or cheddarwurst. Time on the couch with the pups, watching mediocre movies. Time to try out new non-expensive places that pop up here and there.

That’s Christmas. For our wedding, apparently we want a new trash can and cheese knives.