Countdown to Christmas 2025…Day 16

Even after yesterday’s confession on spending wisely and such, I have to say that one battle I have faced as an adult with children is knowing when to quit shopping for gifts.

The endless effort to make sure things are even, or at least appear even, is exhausting. 

One year I remember feeling like John had gotten a few more things than the girls. 

I have a vivid recollection of walking in the back door of our local Sears Department store. This entrance featured the cosmetics counters. On a table was a stack of cases of eye shadows. 

They were quilted, I think and when you opened the latch, trays expanded. Every possible color of eye shadow was represented in little rectangles. There were brushes galore held fast by cloth bands in the lid. 

Perfect, I thought. I got one for each of the girls. 

Did our girls wear a plethora of eye shadows?

No. 

I don’t think more than a couple of flicks were used by them ever. 

They gathered dust in closets and when the time came for me to purge them along with other remnants of their time in our home, I debated keeping one for art purposes but must have pitched because they are no longer part of our clutter. 

I knew shortly after I bought them it was an impulsive purchase made with only one goal. I wanted to make sure everyone had the same number of gifts to open…done and done. 

When I find myself out looking for just one more thing for this one or that one, the specter of these quilted boxes sitting on a display table come to mind and I stop. 

Russ and I gift for no reason all through the year. 

We give for minor holidays, birthdays, and just because days. 

The love behind our gifts is 100% equal across the board, but the packages may come in different amounts under the tree. The number and dollars spent in no way reflect the way we love our people so deeply that it cannot even be measured. Ever.

If the gift was carefully selected, that is the value in it. 

And the rest will take care of itself.