Merry Chritmas to you too Gube..and you right things will turn around..When I worked as an Electrician we went through the same mind bending crap. It always seems to happen at Christmas. It doesnt make it any easier..not when kids are involved. Wish I could help ya buddy but most of the outside gifts around here this year came off a cookie sheet.

Their planning all those new homes on the east side..maybe you can get in on those. Good Luck and 'God Bless' you and your family...

PS..when it happened to us we always promised the kids late presents after  the first of the year..when all the sales hit..that seemed to soften the blow.

Thank you siouxcity..... You can't go wrong with homemade cookies they make the best Christmas presents...yum,yum

Best wishes Gube.

Thanks for your fine post, Gube, that friends and family make Christmas the great holiday it is. We get a little more light each day for the next six months. Merry Christmas!

Adam, so I'm not the only one who noticed yesterday was longer.    I feel better already.  I can feel the SADs melting away.

As for Christmas.  I've gone lighter there too.  I've cut back on the amount I spent on gifts this year but make sure everyone gets a little something.  I have standing orders from family for home made scratch Hersheys cocoa fudge and Velveeta fudge.  If I fail to make those, I get drummed out of the family.  There are tentative requests for Divinity but it's so iffy that people know better than to get too demanding.  Getting scratch fudge to come out is bad enough.  This year we will have every member of my branch of the family here on Christmas morning and that is gift enough for me.

The little guy in the picture is celebrating his first Christmas and if you want to see a happy face, click to enlarge it.  The other fourth generation little guy just turned two and they are about as good as it gets as far as gifts go.

Gube, you are a blessed man to have a great wife and great kids as well as good friends.  They are the true gifts in life, all the rest is ribbon on the package..

Thank you Nancy, Adam and Audrey........My wife made alot of presents this year, They are a combination of a sweeter and a scarf with pockets that fits over the shoulders and upper back. They are beautiful and so far everyone that has received one has loved it......Makes my lovely wife very happy.....

Very cool!! Those are the gifts that always mean the most, the ones where time, effort and a lot of thought went into them.

Gube-I love scarves!! That is a great present!  I do know how you feel though.  I grew up with my dad working in construction and the winter months were the worst.  BUT we knew it was his job and realized that all the other months we always had what we needed and/or wanted. So, it's how you raise your kids and have them understand the meaning of things and this my friend, you have done.  Have a cozy Christmas. 

I feel your pain...  I work at an advertising agency managing all the marketing for my clients.  Imagine having my job with the economy the way it is.  Hardly anyone is doing ANY advertising, and I work on commission.  Do the math.  My house is decorated but I didn't even get a tree this year.  I have kids that are trying to understand but I feel like a "loser" single mom right now.  It doesn't help that the ex that lives up north can't be bothered to send any child support.  But you know that his new family will have a great Christmas.  Lots of presents and fun while his son gets to open a small gift card from his mom.  It really sucks because I look like the bad guy.  Jerk.  I would keep complaining but I need to go re-open my Food Stamp case and head by the Child Support office on the way back.

Merry Christmas!

I'm in  new construction as well and we have all been effected by this market.  I feel confident that it will improve soon.  As most of us, I've trimmed the fat for the past two years but I've never been one to overspend at Christmas.  Gube, you sound extremely fortunate. your family is lucky as well. 

Mrs38, you are giving of yourself, that's what the kids really need so you do not sound like a loser single mom. I know tthis is harder said than done but try not to be bitter about the jerk of an EX, he's the loser, he isn't with his son.   How many kids do you have?

I have 3 kids.  My oldest  daughter, 18, just moved to Denver with some friends.  Her sister is almost 17 and their half brother (second marriage) will be 11 in two weeks.   My kids are awesome.  They really give me very little trouble.  I have devoted my life to raising them and it is paying off.  BTW- Just got back from the Child Support office.  The ex is going on 7 months behind on our "verbal" support agreement.  I closed the support case several years ago but I can't sit back and watch this any longer.  He needs to support his son, I don't care what his financial hardships are right now.  What about us???  Like I said... JERK!  We always seem to land on our feet though.  We have each other, as cheesy as it sounds, and that helps me through it all.

'Tis the season to be Jolly!!!  Fa la la la la, la la la la...