As I write, there is a little boy desperately trying to fall asleep. Unfortunately this is the only day of the year I get the pleasure of having no fighting about bedtime. He’s hoping, wishing, and praying that Santa C. will leave the boy a three hundred dollar present in a stocking that is far too small to hold such a gift.

Each year, I drag the boy to see Mr. Claus and each year he asks for toys. Once, he requested a really boucy rubber ball, last year, the kid wanted a goldfish. I can do these things. These are easy…and cheap. This year, he was hoisted up on Santa’s lap and in a clear voice stated that he wanted a Wii. I was crushed. I have always been able to comply with his list, but a Wii?!?! That’s a bit rich for my blue collar blood.

This year is going to be a different sort of Christmas. Half my family is in Hawaii and the other half is kicking it in their home states with their immediate families only. I know this happens, and for the most part I am fine with it. You just cannot make it everywhere every year. Thing is, me and Max get the pity party from many people because on such days, we are just us two. Ladies and gentlemen: Me and The Max consist of one entire family. There’s a darn good chance it will always be this way. I do understand it is a small one, and I do get that it could be considered lonely. I would certainly rather see my sisters and parents than not see them, but tomorrow I AM going to be with my family. Moving on…

I did the math, thought long and hard, and determined that this year one of two things would happen: A) I would scrape and save enough pennies to spoil him outright rotten with his request or B) He would learn that Santa is not real.

Now, he’s gonna find out he’s not real soon anyways. I am lucky that I can still use Santa as a threat when it’s time to bush his teeth or eat his broccoli. I had always hoped that some terrible kid on the bus would break the news to his tender heart as opposed to me not being able to afford his wish. This made me feel odd, and kind of yucky. Do I buy something extravagant (for my income) just to please him, and when does that stop?

I did not buy him barely anything from my own self, though his aunts and grandparents treated him nicely judging from the pile under the tree right now. I have always hated the thought of video games being played non-stop and the fat little kids who are a product (in part) from them.

And then I caved.

I stopped buying coffee, skipped the mall and Target altogether this month. With the exception of my birthday party I did not go out at all. And today, I got just enough to buy the Wii and still pay rent for next month. I called the one store I heard still had it and they were out. Urgh. I was told to try another…and they had it! Not many, but it was there.

I was faced with one problem. How do I get into a store and buy a toy without having The Max notice? So, A Very Nice Person told me to drop the boy off at their house and run grab the Wii and come pick him and and have the greatest Christmas of all time. We synced watches and communicated with walkie talkies and went on with the plan. (Well, we should have done that last part, that would have been funner.) I walked into the store and asked if they still had any remaining, they did. I gave them a crap load of money and walked out the door. Satisfied.

We hung out with A Very Nice Person for a bit, playing their Wii for awhile. I added a comment during one game about how nice it would be to own one, if they weren’t so expensive. Muhahahaha.

I am going to like tomorrow. I am going to like it a lot. It’s gonna be commercial, and cheesy, and full of smiles resulted from overly spoiling a little boy. It will be worth it.