@Darrell2@therealjrn Back in about 2005, I was at the Mattel Outlet store and found a bunch of ‘coal cars’: std Matchbox cars but packaged within a plastic case molded to look like a lump of coal. Our stocking tradition is to put small items, fruit, & candy at the foot but the rest is full of coal cars and coal chocolate (I buy that @ Big Lots).
TL;DR - My kids always get coal in their stocking.
/image matchbox coal cars
/image coal chocolate
@Darrell2@therealjrn Yes we always got oranges in the toe of our stocking too (that mom would then take back). Took up space so less needed to fill the stocking.
@Kidsandliz Your classic lame gift that you actually love was your mother would steal back the orange?
I know that isn’t what you meant. I’ve had some time to think about your post. Here’s what I think.
I’ve recently begun a path of spiritual growth so I may get a little preachy. But here’s the thing: “I may not be wholly responsible for how I got here, but I AM responsible from here on out.” Meaning, no matter what kind of bullshit happened to me as a child, or as an adult, or whenever–now it’s my job to overcome that shit in the past and move forward. How do I do that?
First on the list for me is not to dwell in the past. I certainly don’t wish to forget the past and the lessons learned, but I don’t need to wallow in that shit any more. I need to move on. I certainly don’t need to bring up how I was so wronged to strangers in an internet forum pleasantly reminiscing about gifts. Perhaps a close friend might listen to my bullshit whining for awhile, but the world in general? They don’t give a shit. The world doesn’t owe me its love, affection and support. In other words, it’s natures job, if I’m so foolish to take it on, to kill me. Nature wants to kill me to make the world stronger. That’s just the way it is. Nature is a cold, heartless bitch.
So its my job to gird up, to get ready to fight for my place. Because God damnit there is a place for me. I now know is its now my job to shake loose the bondage of the past. The past is fucking gone, motherfucker.
@therealjrn We got fruit from the fridge in our stocking because I grew up poor and my parent’s couldn’t afford to fill a stocking. Thus with fruit we already had in the fridge put in stockings, less was needed to fill it up. Took us years to catch on to that. And we loved having BIG oranges as we only got them at christmas. Besides I was responding to someone else who got fruit in their stocking so not sure why your lecture is aimed at me.
@Darrell2@therealjrn My dad got an orange and nuts in his stocking- I think he got socks too. He grew up during the depression and I suspect that oranges may not have been a winter staple in grocery stores back then in New Jersey. They might have been quite special. We got marzipan pigs in our stockings instead for luck in the new year. I like marzipan now but I’m pretty sure I threw those little guys out back in the day. The traditional gold coins we ate happily.
@therealjrn Really I am lying? And you know that how? My dad was a minister. They didn’t get paid much. There were 4 kids. And as I stated we liked getting those big oranges at christmas as we didn’t get them any other time of year. I suspect someone in the congregation gave my family a fruit box then as we sure as heck couldn’t afford them. Where is the resentment in that?
I have noticed on this forum you have been nasty to a lot of people. Being charitable about that I have been presuming things aren’t going well in your life right now and so it comes out here so that you can then manage your “real, not virtual, life” in a way that doesn’t piss off everyone. Hopefully that is the reason and that you are not just, fundamentally, someone who behaves like a jerk to many people.
@therealjrn I’m not feeling grateful today? And how would you know or not know that? Also I see you define - via your actions - kindness, at least in this thread, as attacking someone and being judgmental. Got it. Whatever floats your boat. Seems a bit hypocritical though considering in that you were also posting about your self search to behave like less of an asshat. Stepping up and helping others rather than cutting them down or kicking them when they are down, often helps one feel better about one’s self too.
If you are looking for “help others” outlets in the context of the meh forum, we’ve had a bunch of threads that would quality as “be helpful to others” threads: the annual help a teachers thread, the doggie graduation gown for a disabled vet thread, several help some cats threads - be it get medical care or get a friend’s cats out of a kill shelter, the threads where a bunch of people help others solve tech problems, phone problems, narrow choices for things they need that they don’t know enough about to make intelligent decisions, finding deals for things they need but can’t spend a ton of money on, give advice/information when someone asks for it… All of this, by the way, is evidence that people “do give a shit” about others that they don’t know, despite your statement to the contrary.
Whatever your problem is that, to be charitable, is behind your recent spate of often nasty posts directed at/cutting down individuals, I hope you find a solution. Meanwhile I’d prefer not to be your kicking post.
@Kidsandliz I think I’ve said everything there is to be said here. You aren’t reading what I said. You aint picking up what I’m laying down. So go in peace, young offended warrior.
@therealjrn if you were half as enlightened as you’re pretending to be, you’d know when to quit, bro. Needing to have the last word is a sign of egomania, and if we take the rest of your posts into account…
Listen, I don’t really know you, or spend much time here, but you deserve to know how you’re coming across to casual observers. If I were you, I’d delete my last post and pretend to have taken the high road.
i picked gift cards, if they’re ones i’ve suggested. cash is great (and i’ll never complain about it!) but i’ll feel guilty if i don’t put it towards boring stuff like groceries or clean laundry or car insurance and i never end up buying what i really wanted to with it. whereas a gift card alleviates said guilt and forces me to shop for something else.
many people still annoyingly seem to think buying anything they didn’t come up with themselves is gauche, so really i appreciate anyone who still insists on buying me a gift choosing something off one of my amazon wishlists.
When my sister lived in Hawaii, every year she would send me a Christmas gift that consisted of a calendar with pictures taken in Hawaii, but most importantly birthdays and anniversaries for all of my siblings, nieces, nephews, spouses, etc. would be already written down. As a guy I would otherwise never would have remembered.
@Narwalt a friend gave my daughter a $10 build-a-bear gift card. I spent another $20 out of pocket to get her the stupid bear. On an upside, she loves that stupid bear
One type gift that I love… Socks/underwear is nice.
In fact, most any clothing (which prevents me from going to a damn clothing store) is gleefully accepted.
@daveinwarsh@kittykat9180 Except my husband. He had 3 entire sock drawers (of his own doing) and when he passed I found several packs of underwear and socks still unopened.
Where’s the “batteries” option?
“Fridges” would be a reasonable choice, too, except they’re hard to wrap and tend to rip the gift bags…
I picked the tin of popcorn, even the plain third, but I also like socks. Since I moved to Kentucky scarves are not as necessary.
Underwear and socks. Got them every year from Mom. I miss my mom.
@therealjrn, my parents put mixed nuts and an apple and an orange in our stocking every year. I miss that tradition.
@Darrell2 We usually got an orange in the toe of the stocking. And along with other small stuff, gold foil wrapped chocolate coins.
@Darrell2 @therealjrn Back in about 2005, I was at the Mattel Outlet store and found a bunch of ‘coal cars’: std Matchbox cars but packaged within a plastic case molded to look like a lump of coal. Our stocking tradition is to put small items, fruit, & candy at the foot but the rest is full of coal cars and coal chocolate (I buy that @ Big Lots).
TL;DR - My kids always get coal in their stocking.
/image matchbox coal cars
/image coal chocolate
@Darrell2 @therealjrn Yes we always got oranges in the toe of our stocking too (that mom would then take
back). Took up space so less needed to fill the stocking.@Kidsandliz Your classic lame gift that you actually love was your mother would steal back the orange?
I know that isn’t what you meant. I’ve had some time to think about your post. Here’s what I think.
I’ve recently begun a path of spiritual growth so I may get a little preachy. But here’s the thing: “I may not be wholly responsible for how I got here, but I AM responsible from here on out.” Meaning, no matter what kind of bullshit happened to me as a child, or as an adult, or whenever–now it’s my job to overcome that shit in the past and move forward. How do I do that?
First on the list for me is not to dwell in the past. I certainly don’t wish to forget the past and the lessons learned, but I don’t need to wallow in that shit any more. I need to move on. I certainly don’t need to bring up how I was so wronged to strangers in an internet forum pleasantly reminiscing about gifts. Perhaps a close friend might listen to my bullshit whining for awhile, but the world in general? They don’t give a shit. The world doesn’t owe me its love, affection and support. In other words, it’s natures job, if I’m so foolish to take it on, to kill me. Nature wants to kill me to make the world stronger. That’s just the way it is. Nature is a cold, heartless bitch.
So its my job to gird up, to get ready to fight for my place. Because God damnit there is a place for me. I now know is its now my job to shake loose the bondage of the past. The past is fucking gone, motherfucker.
P.S. There’s no crying in baseball either.
@therealjrn We got fruit from the fridge in our stocking because I grew up poor and my parent’s couldn’t afford to fill a stocking. Thus with fruit we already had in the fridge put in stockings, less was needed to fill it up. Took us years to catch on to that. And we loved having BIG oranges as we only got them at christmas. Besides I was responding to someone else who got fruit in their stocking so not sure why your lecture is aimed at me.
@Darrell2 @therealjrn My dad got an orange and nuts in his stocking- I think he got socks too. He grew up during the depression and I suspect that oranges may not have been a winter staple in grocery stores back then in New Jersey. They might have been quite special. We got marzipan pigs in our stockings instead for luck in the new year. I like marzipan now but I’m pretty sure I threw those little guys out back in the day. The traditional gold coins we ate happily.
I love traditions, whatever the original purpose.
@Kidsandliz You tagged me. And your lying right now. You have a resentment.
List 5 things your grateful for today:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
You seem to never share about good stuff, just stuff that is broken, or how poor you are at this late stage in your life.
Please understand I’m trying to do you a kindness here.
@therealjrn Really I am lying? And you know that how? My dad was a minister. They didn’t get paid much. There were 4 kids. And as I stated we liked getting those big oranges at christmas as we didn’t get them any other time of year. I suspect someone in the congregation gave my family a fruit box then as we sure as heck couldn’t afford them. Where is the resentment in that?
I have noticed on this forum you have been nasty to a lot of people. Being charitable about that I have been presuming things aren’t going well in your life right now and so it comes out here so that you can then manage your “real, not virtual, life” in a way that doesn’t piss off everyone. Hopefully that is the reason and that you are not just, fundamentally, someone who behaves like a jerk to many people.
@compunaut I remember giving those to my kids one year! At least I was amused.
@Kidsandliz So…you’re not feeling grateful today. I get it.
Nameste
@therealjrn I’m not feeling grateful today? And how would you know or not know that? Also I see you define - via your actions - kindness, at least in this thread, as attacking someone and being judgmental. Got it. Whatever floats your boat. Seems a bit hypocritical though considering in that you were also posting about your self search to behave like less of an asshat. Stepping up and helping others rather than cutting them down or kicking them when they are down, often helps one feel better about one’s self too.
If you are looking for “help others” outlets in the context of the meh forum, we’ve had a bunch of threads that would quality as “be helpful to others” threads: the annual help a teachers thread, the doggie graduation gown for a disabled vet thread, several help some cats threads - be it get medical care or get a friend’s cats out of a kill shelter, the threads where a bunch of people help others solve tech problems, phone problems, narrow choices for things they need that they don’t know enough about to make intelligent decisions, finding deals for things they need but can’t spend a ton of money on, give advice/information when someone asks for it… All of this, by the way, is evidence that people “do give a shit” about others that they don’t know, despite your statement to the contrary.
Whatever your problem is that, to be charitable, is behind your recent spate of often nasty posts directed at/cutting down individuals, I hope you find a solution. Meanwhile I’d prefer not to be your kicking post.
@Kidsandliz I think I’ve said everything there is to be said here. You aren’t reading what I said. You aint picking up what I’m laying down. So go in peace, young offended warrior.
@therealjrn if you were half as enlightened as you’re pretending to be, you’d know when to quit, bro. Needing to have the last word is a sign of egomania, and if we take the rest of your posts into account…
Listen, I don’t really know you, or spend much time here, but you deserve to know how you’re coming across to casual observers. If I were you, I’d delete my last post and pretend to have taken the high road.
@MagnaVis OK, thanks for the feedback. And you were right, once things degenerate into the “last word” it just gets tiresome.
So I’ll let you have the last word here.
@Kidsandliz You too LIz, let 'er rip. Tell me what for. Here is me letting you have the last word.
I will always accept food gifts with great enthusiasm. I will eat your gift and it will become part of my physical body.
@awk and I have the expanding stomach to prove it!
@awk Sounds suspiciously like a Christian church celebrating ritualized cannibalism.
Or I guess from another perspective, they are giving you a future turd.
Candy corn lol
@tinamarie1974 sssshhhhhh… we don’t want Meh thinking anyone actually likes that stuff.
@hchavers haha, I was being sarcastic
@tinamarie1974 No! Really? lol
Coal
Fruitcake cookies.
(Family recipe)
@mike808 My wife makes a couple fruitcakes every December.
I really can’t stand a store-bought fruitcake, but the ones she makes is amazing.
I’m too old for gifts. If I want something I’ll buy it.
@jst1ofknd I guess you won’t be needing this bundle of cash then…I’ll give it to the orphans instead.
@therealjrn
Now just hang on there a second… Let’s talk about that…
@jst1ofknd
People seem to think that money is a lame gift but I’d love to be given more of that
@Pianomanty Yes! I much prefer cash over a gift card that I’ll never have on me when I go to use it.
i picked gift cards, if they’re ones i’ve suggested. cash is great (and i’ll never complain about it!) but i’ll feel guilty if i don’t put it towards boring stuff like groceries or clean laundry or car insurance and i never end up buying what i really wanted to with it. whereas a gift card alleviates said guilt and forces me to shop for something else.
many people still annoyingly seem to think buying anything they didn’t come up with themselves is gauche, so really i appreciate anyone who still insists on buying me a gift choosing something off one of my amazon wishlists.
When my sister lived in Hawaii, every year she would send me a Christmas gift that consisted of a calendar with pictures taken in Hawaii, but most importantly birthdays and anniversaries for all of my siblings, nieces, nephews, spouses, etc. would be already written down. As a guy I would otherwise never would have remembered.
@Grumman, that’s a very thoughtful gift. This year you should get her to send you some cookies from the Honolulu cookie factory as well.
Home made treats. Mom’s peanut butter cookies or molasses cake. Russian tea mix. Chocolate covered strawberries. Real gifts from the heart.
Fruit Cake!!!
@cranky1950 Umm to eat or to use as a weapon?
@Kidsandliz Yes!
How are gift cards lame?
You can buy anything at the store with them.
They’re only lame when they’re for a place you’d never shop at, or they’re some incredibly low amount compared to what the place sells.
They’re totally low effort, yeah, but that’s not the same as lame, though.
@Narwalt a friend gave my daughter a $10 build-a-bear gift card. I spent another $20 out of pocket to get her the stupid bear. On an upside, she loves that stupid bear
One type gift that I love… Socks/underwear is nice.
In fact, most any clothing (which prevents me from going to a damn clothing store) is gleefully accepted.
@daveinwarsh, dudes have this thing against buying socks and underwear. It’s so weird.
@daveinwarsh @kittykat9180 Except my husband. He had 3 entire sock drawers (of his own doing) and when he passed I found several packs of underwear and socks still unopened.