IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

It's the most wonderful time of the year... ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE NOT SHOPPED FOR ME IN FOUR MONTHS!

A colleague at work this week said receiving gift certificates as gifts is cheating. She really wants me to succeed! If Ted, friends, and family truly never gave me gift certificates, then I would agree. But they never know what to buy me, so I get gift certificates from them - and always have.

One time early in our relationship, Ted and I were malling it - walking through the mall - and I was craning my head to see what was in the GAP.  Ted, who is fashion inempt, interpretated my neck craning as 'OH, LOOK AT THE DISPLAY IN THE WINDOW!"  So, with a good deed in sight, he went and purchased me everything in the display window.

UNFORTUNATELY, it was all long undrwear, socks, and the plaid wool shirts!  He eagerly - no, make that proudly - presented me with my presents on Christmas morning.  Seeing GAP, I got scared; actually, Ted shopping even for himself is scarey.  Needless to say, the items were exchanged for the outfit I was craning to see BEYOND THE WINDOW DISPLAY!

Another time he bought me a toolbox with a ton of tools since I always take his.  It was needed, but not the gift of MK or JCrew I wanted.  Thus, I accepted the gift and was grateful I had purchased me everything I desired for Christmas. This was when he vowed to get me gift certificates!   I BEAMED.  FINALLY, DUDE, WE ARE SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE!

And that  has been my way of having a Merry Little Christmas - buy for me a long the way as I shop for others.

THIS IS WHY ACCEPTING GIFT CERTIFICATES IS NOT CHEATING.

For my birthday, we have a tradition of taking ME to Woodbury Commons on a shopping spree!  I get to buy all that I want, and he pays the bill.  He wants to see that smile on my face, and frankly, Kenneth cole, Cole Haan, and MK definitely deliver!

Gifts are not cheating.  I vowed NOT TO SPEND MY MONEY ON ME.   I am not about to turn a gift down - and if I did - everyone who knows me would drop dead laughing and think I was lying.  I love gifts!  I love giving them and I REALLY love receiving them!

BRING IT ON, BABY!

This year, I won't be getting gifts - maybe a bottle of perfume.  I bought presents for a student whose family is homeless.    I already bought all Ted's presents in October.  He probably will get me a gift certificate for Ciao Bella, my hair salon.