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Station Life: Presents are welcome at any old age

RAELENE HALLMidwest Times
Gifts in Pink Wrapping Paper Christmas presents
Camera IconGifts in Pink Wrapping Paper Christmas presents Credit: Getty Images/Fuse

What do you do when you are at the age and stage of life when you really don’t need anything for your birthday, but you are still a kid at heart who always wants something to open on that special day?

It was easy when the kids were little because they would make me something or buy something small — and often totally useless — that I have treasured and stored away/displayed for the term of their natural life.

As we now only have adults in the family — with only one child having a partner — we tend to be a bit more pragmatic and ask each other what we would like for Christmas and birthdays.

In fact, I got so tired of the kids asking me what I wanted I started giving them a list of suggestions, and I made it easy for them by stipulating a particular book or CD.

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One year I put personal soap on the list. It’s been a popular gift ever since. This year I must have been clean enough as I didn’t get any.

I then decided if it was good enough for me then it was good enough for the kids too, so I make them give myself — and by default their siblings — a list of gifts they may like for Christmas and, by extension, birthdays. There are no restrictions on price because we all know anyone asking for something like an overseas trip (can’t imagine who that would have been) would get a “pffft” and a big “no”!

With hubby and I both having birthdays in February, the lists are often utilised again as a back-up for birthday presents. However, unless we are all very organised, there is a good chance the opportunities for shopping between Christmas and our birthdays are very limited.

Of course, there is always online shopping, but you have to be on the ball to order early enough and allow for delivery times.

I suppose I could always buy my own birthday present, but my memory hasn’t yet become that bad that I’d be able to forget what I bought in order to get a surprise on the day.

Having an early birthday in the year for an overgrown kid like me also means you have a long wait until the next present occasion. It’s tough being a grown-up who doesn’t want to grow up when it comes to pressies.

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