There’s a post going around Facebook that basically says when my grown kids ask me what I want for Christmas, let them know I just want TIME with them.
This is the mantra of all the empty-nesters out there. So I have a proposition. Instead of a cookie exchange, or a Secret Santa gift exchange, I propose we do a kid exchange.
My kids live in cities far away from me. I can’t go Christmas shopping with them. We don’t have time to bake cookies together. We don’t go to the local Christmas Symphony concert anymore. We can’t play that game at the Mall where we would watch the young mothers gingerly place their toddlers and infants, all dressed up in their Christmas finery, onto the lap of a big scary guy with a white beard and a crimson red suit and guess which child is going to be delighted or scream their bloody head off. Good times. My husband and I don’t listen to missed notes of flute practice for the school concert, wondering how it will all come together to actually sound like Christmas carols.
So enough with the melancholy. Let’s put all our millennials’ names and addresses out there to each other! Let’s find out where they live and whoever lives the closest to you, you get to have them for the Advent Season.
You can bake those cookies now! You stopped baking because all you were doing was eating them for breakfast. Now….you can get rid of them. Take them to your Secret Santa Millennial. Better yet, take them to their job! Everyone at their workplace will be thrilled to see you, especially with those home-baked cookies.
You can make plans to take your borrowed millennial ice-skating, Christmas shopping for their Mom (who knows better what their Mom would like than another Mom?). Your millennial will come to your house for hot chocolate and help you with the Christmas decorations! You can take selfies and send them to their real Mom and post them on Facebook, so everyone knows you have a Secret Santa Millennial. Think of all the other Millennials who will be so jealous when they see your “Insta” postings.
Your Secret Santa Millennial will probably teach you how to Snapchat! Then, everyone can see all the fun you’re having, like you used to with your own kids…but only for 10 seconds!!! How comforting is that? In case, you do something naughty instead of nice!
And I feel very certain the millennials will love this. We all know they are hungering for another Mom to send them texts, call them, Facebook comment, and show up at their work and apartments with Christmas cheer, suggestions, plans for their weekends. It will be like they never left home! What could be a better Christmas present than that?
Since I just saw that Facebook post and came up with this idea, I’m going to have to concede that it’s too late for this Christmas. But don’t worry, I never forget any of my amazing ideas, so I’ll be contacting all of you for your Millennial’s “deets” next year!
Can’t wait for my kids to read this and comment!!
Merry Christmas and all the Best in the New Year to each and every one of you!
For more of my humor go here
Cathy is the author of Showering with Nana: Confessions of a Serial Caregiver and
Jill Y and I prefer our imaginary kids. This is far too real for us! 🙂
I’m in but wondering: in this switch is it prohibited for new kids to roll eyes, insert opinion about parental diets or criticize said parents’ use of social media?
Ha ha! What a great idea! Can’t wait to hear what the kids think about it!
So far, the baby says I am not permitted to have fun with her friends or give away her cookies.
Brilliant idea. Instead of a gift exchange, exchange IS the gift.
Yes, Bill. A whole new meaning to exchange student!
What a great idea! I’m lucky enough that mine are all within 3 hours…one is less than a mile. But still, great idea. LOL
Three hours is too far for cookie baking, so Imstill think you should consider the exchange! Haha!
Ha! Too funny. Thankfully two of my three are relatively close so I get my fill… and send them home when we’ve all had enough.
Love this: “We all know they are hungering for another Mom to send them texts, call them, Facebook comment, and show up at their work and apartments with Christmas cheer, suggestions, plans for their weekends.” As my youngest says, “I know, right!?”
Ha! Yes, I’m so SURE those millennials would love us all showing up at their work!
Hmmm I don’t have kids to swap but sounds like a great idea LOL:)
I’m sure you could borrow one, Sue!!!
For folks with kids, this is a GREAT idea, Cathy! Another advantage of this approach is the relationship with your Secret Santa Millennial is unlike to be fraught with the same emotional hot buttons parents often have with their own offspring! Happy holidays, indeed!
Hey…Roxanne, so true…no mother-daughter deep-seated psychosis, just cookies and fun!! Hahahaha~
No kids, but a couple nephews who are Millenials. Alas, they live too distant for them to be my tech support!
OH Carol, nieces and nephews definitely count. And you can find a techie Secret Santa Millennial. Maybe we will make that a part of the request!