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it is possible that I am wearing a Christmas sweater RIGHT NOW

Filed Under everyday life on December 15, 2006

I’m sorry, I didn’t really get a clear read on your opinions about holiday themed sweaters. I think it was your reluctance to speak up.

Actually, HOLY JINGLE BELLS, BATMAN! That’s a lot of very funny commenting there. Nice work.

I’m going to hold my peace on this one; the celebration of Christmas / Hanukkah / Ramadan / Festivus is a deeply personal issue and not one to be taken lightly. If your particular celebration includes a sweater embroidered with Frosty the Snowman or a pair of sparkly socks or even matching pajamas for the whole damn family, then so be it.

(Aside: Does anyone else find the idea of having MOMMY monogrammed on your pjs a little disturbing? Or is that just me?)

(Aside #2: While I will not chose a side in the holiday sweater debate, I WILL say that I am totally in favor of decorating the dog, and if we had one, he would absolutely be wearing antlers and a bell. Or a Santa hat! And maybe even a little Christmas doggie sweater. And now some of you are saying GOOD THING SHE DOESN’T have a dog. Ah, but I have kids, and they are eminently decorate-able as well.)

The last time I got that big a rise out of people was when I wrote about Linda Hirschman–you remember her; she’s the one who said that economically privileged, educated women had an obligation to return to their careers after having children. She also argued that the educated elite (her words) should marry men from a lower social class, who would have lower expectations for their own success and would thus be more willing to compromised their own careers in support of their wives’ careers. She recommended that the elite should only have one child, because having more than one child makes it more difficult to manage work and family.

Actually, she may be on to something with that last thing. But I digress.

I was thinking about Hirschman yesterday because I’ve been digging through my closet trying to find something to wear to Wade’s office party this weekend, and trying to get myself ready for the inevitable cocktail party conversation–you know, the kind that starts with, “And what do YOU do?”

I eat bonbons and drink martinis all day, while wearing a dress and heels. And pearls! Of course!

I’ve been reading the New York Times and Slate and Salon.com this week, in my spare seconds, in an effort to amass something to talk about besides my children, because despite the fact that I think they’re the Most Fabulous Children Ever, I am aware that other people don’t necessarily want to hear about them over drinks on a Saturday night. Also, I’m really looking forward to talking about something–anything!–else, like why I would vote for Barack Obama before I would vote for Hillary Clinton or why I’m skeptical that dumping more and more federal funding into curing autism is really a good idea, or what the new census data says about American culture. Because it has to mean something that Americans drink more bottled water than beer, don’t you think?

I wonder if there’s any census data about how many Americans wear holiday-themed sweaters.

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Confession: Despite my feelings about holiday sweaters (which, now I think of it, MIGHT BE OKAY to wear to work if one were an elementary school teacher) I now have three pair of Christmas socks. Three. From zero to three in the space of a week.

I’ll just be over here. You know. Eating crow.

PS: What up with the fed funds going towards a cure for Autism? Why haven’t I heard about this?

The Mommy-grammed pjs would definitely be disturbing if they were, say, see-through or involved garters and peek-a-boo panels. Since they look pretty wholesome, I’ll let it go, as a possible gift from kids who think that’s really her name.

BUT if her husband buys them for her, I’m gonna recommend therapy for him.

I think you should talk about the new Pizza Hut ads that feature little adoptable bites.

They have the entire adoption online community in an uproar, except for little old adopted me, who is not offended by them.

Tell people that you are a tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.

And I don’t mind the Mommy monogrammed pajamas– as long as My KIDS get them for me.

I’m against the mommy jammy. So many pajama choices, so little sleep– why spend even one night emblazoned with MOMMY? Though I would of course accept them graciously if they came gift-wrapped, and they’re clearly a gift item. What else can you really do at that point?

I also don’t think you should sleep in holiday sweaters, but better to sleep in one than wear one to the Christmas party. In case you were considering.

Americans drink more bottled water than beer because there is so little difference between American beer and water, it’s not worth the difference in price!

(Thanks so much for the opening, Susan!!)

Mary P, that was BRILLIANT! In both the British AND the American sense of the word.

And you are sadly right. That’s why I stick to gin.

I fear you are reading the wrong publications for cocktail party talk.;-( Try People, US and other celebrity gossip rags…or the real estate section. Sigh…my son’s conversation is often more stimulating than cocktail party chatter…ah, that’s why I stay home with him!

Incidentally…I love holiday sweaters, though my European born husband says they brand me an American… and his point is?

I heard about the Federal funding the other day. I was wondering if your qualms were because the feds manage to contaminate everything they touch.

Crack me up about the comparison between American beer and water!

I use to teach elementary school, and you can bet that’s where all the holiday sweaters, shirts, socks, hats, jewelry, etc. are worn.

Have fun at the party!

Barack Obama ‘08!

Autism is the “it” cause right now. I don’t know much about the federal funding that’s going toward autism research, but I think there’s a big and vocal autism lobby going after those federal dollars. It’s shocking how common autism is, and those autism parents seem to be an active and involved group. I don’t know enough about the issue to have an opinion either way.

Kelly, I think you’re right; autism is all over the media right now, and as the parent of a kid who may (or may not!) have an ASD, I’m hyper aware of all the coverage.

I’m not OPPOSED to funding research into autism, I’m just not convinced that the current federal approach is the one that will lead to the AH HA moment, nor am I convinced that dropping all that money into medical research is necessarily the BEST solution.

How about Steven Colbert for president?

I have the opposite problem. I am at work and my husband is a SAHD. When I’m out, people I don’t know or who don’t really know me intimately are always asking me about my kids. I suppose because I’m some sort of freakshow for having so many…….but….I want to say something rotten to them. I mean seriously, because I’m the MOM I’m supposed to be reduced to making small talk about my KIDS in all social situations?
I mean shit, if you know me, you know what’s new.
If you don’t…….WHY ARE YOU PRETENDING TO CARE?

I’d rather talk about Holiday Sweaters……

I agree - Obama for 2008 - and I’m an Independent! (Also, go check out Comedy Central and look for John Stewart’s clip that he did on Obamania - it is a riot: “And then Obama saved a little girl by stopping time with his mind…”)

Autism funding - I also agree it is important to have funding for this, (and I am the parent of an ASD child - a girl, which is unusual enough in itself), but I also think that maybe funding is not being used in the right areas, or that perhaps there are other things that killing people pretty quickly that should have more money thrown at them as well.

Still pretty against the holiday sweater thing, though. Took a poll of family members at my birthday party and it was a pretty unanimous “NO” with the exception of my Grandmother, a former elementary school teacher.

Personally I cannot stand holiday sweaters, and so far I have been lucky enough to not own one! As for mommy pjs I would not want to go there either.

Kids Furniture
Crazy

People always say “So you’re a stay at home mom?” And then I say “Yeah, but I also…” but it doesn’t matter.

They don’t care about any of that “other” stuff, all they hear is the stay at home part.

I want my PJs to say “MILF”

Hilarious!! I want MILF jammies, too! Printed across the bum, preferably.

SJ, I see a business opportunity for you.

I actually told someone the other night that I drank martinis all day. Because no matter what I said, he JUST KEPT ASKING, “But what do you DO?!?”

Dude.

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