Ever since I was a little kid, my Christmas list for "Santa" was pretty much two or more pages because I wanted so much. I wanted nothing but toys, coloring books, new slippers, a whole BIKE and even a dog (which was probably not going to happen, but still). Every year on December 25, my brother and I would wake up bright and early to open our numerous gifts.
The cookies that we had baked for Santa the night before were always half eaten. When we opened our presents, we were filled with joy as my mom watched us smiling after she told us we weren't getting those gifts. I could tell you that I got about 20 different gifts for Christmas. (Even after I realized that Santa wasn't real, I was still getting gifts.)
The main reason why I was getting so many gifts as a kid was because the toys that I wanted were CHEAP. As a kid, you're not thinking about getting the next iPad or laptop.
As I got older, the gifts under my tree became smaller and smaller. Every Christmas after I turned 13 years old pretty much consisted of 3-5 gifts at most. But the thing is that all of those gifts were expensive. From $200 UGG boots, a T-Mobile sidekick and an expensive purse, my gifts in total were about $600. Compared to the 20 different gifts I received as a kid, where the total spent was maybe $200.
Of course, I wanted the same 20 gifts, but then I had to realize that my demands were always higher and I developed more of an expensive taste.
Plus my birthday was just 4 weeks before Christmas, so I would get a big gift for my birthday and a minor one for Christmas, or vice versa.
During my recent Christmas holidays, my gifts eventually turned into envelopes filled with money. I wasn't mad about it at all. As you get older, you get tired of telling people to buy what you want because they might not always be right. Instead, I would be given money to buy my own things, which I appreciated. Looking back, however, I missed the idea of being showered with gifts. But then I remember that the doll I wanted 15 years ago was $10, rather than a new phone, which was $800.
The older I got, the lower the expectations I had. I was still looking forward to Christmas, because who doesn't want money? I was appreciative of the fact that my parents still got me something even when I could get it myself. I would get some shoes and beauty products here and there, too. I would just know not to ask for much because they were usually expensive.
Now at 21 years old, I realize that my gifts will get smaller and smaller because my demands for gifts were so expensive. Eventually, I won't be expecting much for Christmas by the time I am 30 with children, because I am not a kid anymore. I still love the idea of Christmas and spending time with my family. I now realize that I am an adult and the expectations that I had as a kid are not the same as the ones I have now. I am getting older and that is okay. It is still nice to remember the good times I had.
