Next year I'm telling everyone I want gift cards!

Every year I am required by law......err my mother to supply a Christmas list for the family. I don't know why because they either completely ignore it or talk to the kids and find other things they think are much better. Every freakin year I spend hours going online and researching the items and giving my family members links to them so they can see them online if they want. Hell I have been known to produce a damn good Holiday Spreadsheet in Excel@! Then I have to turn around and ask the kids to give me a list of items that my Mother in Law can find in stores since she has no internet access and refuses to order anything via the phone either.

Last year I made the fatal flaw of forgetting to check the price of a camera that my daughter had listed on her list. My mother being ever so rational decided it was perfectly appropriate to buy a 14 year old child a 400+ dollar camera even after I did everything in my power to stop it. I could have killed LAX Diva for even putting it on there but she atleast had a semi logical plan that we could all go in together and get it for her. YEAH right! I don't own a 400+ dollar camera no way in hell I am giving one to a child.

This year I made the fatal flaw of forgetting to make seperate lists for everyone involved. I made one list and distributed it to my Mother and Sister In Law so that they could print it and give it to the none computer people in our family. I discussed with my Mother, Sister In Law, and Mother In Law what each was getting so that I knew there would be no overlaps to the best of my knowledge. I didn't discuss it with my Aunt but since my Mom was in on it I figured she would discuss it with her. NOPE!

All Hell has now broken lose. Mom has bought things we bought, I bought something Mom bought I thought it was out of her proposed budget but apparently she fudged that part a bit, the Sister In Law and Mother In Law lost the handwritten list they made and took home with them of things available offline and now want me to provide that list back. Hell people I am buying for 18 people I can't remember what you said you might get and I can't be expected to know that you are buying something for me when you said it was out of your price range.

ARGH! Next year I am going to say we want gift cards and the hell with it all.