Giving the gift of cash…
2 minute read
December 22, 2003, 1:36 AM
And another thing… what has Christmas come to in our house? For me, at least, Christmas is really all about cash. Actually, reverse gifts to be more specific. I’m going shopping for my own gifts this year, getting them wrapped, and then getting reimbursed for them by the gift-giver. My parents don’t know specifically what they ended up getting me for Christmas, but I’ve taken it upon myself to act surprised nonetheless when I unwrap the gift that they bought me (by way of me).
Then my sister already knew what I wanted, that being a long-sleeved shirt from Wal-Mart. So since I work there, she said I can go get my gift and provide a receipt. I went and bought the shirt. And I’m still getting it gift-wrapped, though more on principle than anything else.
Speaking of gift-wrapping, when I bought my gift from Mom and Dad in Roanoke on Thursday and then had it gift wrapped at Valley View Mall and asked for a receipt, I got some very strange looks from the people working the gift-wrap station when I said I needed a receipt for the wrapping. The girl who was taking care of me said, “It’s cash-only,” to which I replied, “I still need a receipt.” They produced a receipt.
I don’t know… on one hand it kind of takes away from the Christmas spirit to be buying my own gifts from other people, but then again, Schumin men are hard to shop for (my father is the worst to shop for). This way, I get exactly what I want, and I don’t have to return it.
Meanwhile, my Christmas present to myself is going to be a late one, since I need to have Sis’s room as swing space while I take care of it, thus can’t do it until she goes back to Tech. My gift to myself is a new room, so to speak, as I plan to clean out my room, throw out A LOT of junk, repaint, rearrange the furniture, hang new pictures, and put in new lighting.
Why the big remodel on my room? Well, first of all, watching Trading Spaces has changed my opinion of my room, and that it looks a lot like a “before” room. Additionally, my room looks pretty much the same way it’s looked since I was in middle school. Only major difference is lack of a top bunk (long since removed), plus I now have a desk and a computer in here. What I’m saying here is that I still have a “kid room”, and I think it’s time to have an “adult room” already. And another thing… I’ve been back at home since May. It’s December. My Potomac Hall room is still in the middle of the floor. It’s time to put some stuff away in here, plus reclaim the closet.
Meanwhile, Mom is amazed that I’m redecorating and doing all this cleaning, despite that she’s been wanting me to clean up my room for a long time and make it look like less of a rat hole, and make it look like I live here.
Meanwhile, walking through the furniture department at Wal-Mart makes me feel all giddy, as I make mental notes about what kinds of things I’m going to need to get. I’m especially drooling over the Mainstays incandescent torchiere lights. AND with a 10% discount, too.
And when I’m finished in here, I’ll actually have a decent place in which to live and entertain people. And hopefully I’ll even have room for a coffee table.
Song: Trading Spaces theme
Quote: "Well, I'm doing a coffee table book on coffee tables."
Categories: Bedroom remodel, Christmas, Family, Retail