The Friday Five This Week Is Dumb, So Just An Update

[jmfargo]

I'm visiting my parent's home this weekend in order to celebrate Christmas with the family. Maria picked out a nice present for my parents, and I'm pretty sure they'll like it this year. They're always hard to buy for, but this year my dad actually just said they wanted some nice towels because the old ones (which I'm pretty sure are as old as I am) are actually fraying in half and that he's "never owned a matching set of towels." Pretty strong recommendation on what to buy for them, I think.

Now I have to figure out if I'm buying anything for my siblings. Is it anti-holiday spirit to say that they haven't gotten me anything in the past 10 years so why should I bother getting them things? My parents took me aside when I started a job and said "Now that you have money, don't you think it's time you started getting things for your brothers and sisters on Christmas?" I kind of resent that they obviously haven't had the same talk with my siblings beyond "It'd be nice to get your brother Jeremiah a birthday card."

But really, I know that's "not what the holiday is about," and I've been told that kind of attitude is much to mercenary for the season. What's a good middle ground, I wonder? A card and some scratchy tickets? It's what I did for their birthdays this year for the same reason of "Why should I bother when I have for ten years and you guys do absolutely nothing for me on my birthday except, if I'm really lucky, a card that you randomly (trust me, it's obvious) chose from the rack. My favorite was the "Hey There Girl, Here's A Hot Stud for Your Birthday" card from a few years ago.

I know, though, that I'm going to regret it if I don't get them anything, even if they don't notice. If I don't get them anything, I lose the moral high-ground next year, and I wouldn't want that!

So what should I do? Get my siblings something cheap but useful like movie tickets from a local place? Scratchy tickets in a card? Absolutely nothing this year in hopes that they'll "get it?" They won't, but hopes are good.

Help me out here? I'm stumped.

((EDIT: I really could use some help on this. I need to know by tomorrow. Please, this really is quite a quandry for me and any opinions are better than none.))

Comments

Re: Some Ideas

[akdidge.livejournal.com]

How about calendar's with important dates marked already on them with not-to-subtle hints.

Like a week before your birthday write on it, "J's birthday in a week." Then on your b-day you could write, "J's b-day, at least call him you schmuck." A week after you could write something like, "Follow up with J to find out how his b-day went, or your sould will be lost to the ether."

You could go less conventional, but I think this is subtle, yet very blatantly, "Hey dumb-ass I've bought you stuff, buy me stuff. It's the American way!"

Re: Some Ideas

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

I like this idea, and wish I had asked for thoughts about a week ago so that I could have done this properly. As it is, I'm thinking that this might be a good present for next year if things don't go well this year. Thanks for the idea!

Re: Some Ideas

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

I'm doing this next year, just so you know.