Mandapanda Report post Posted December 23, 2009 Hi It is thick snow and ice outside, but I had to go out today to find some thin silver tinsel. I have previously looked in several shops without success. Tinsel is all thick and fluffy these days. My son wanted thinnish silver tinsel for his room. He has a tiny christmas tree on his desk, gold tinsel round his bed and wanted silver tinsel for his pictures. We had a huge argument about this the other night, he was in a right mood cos we didn't have any silver tinsel. After calming down and discussing things it appears he was cross we didn't have any but he said he wasn't cross with me and my reaction just made him crosser (fair enough!). He didn't realise I might think I 'should' have got some tinsel for him. Anyway I went out today but couldn't start my car, so I walked to the local shop but they didn't have any. I had to go to the local chemist so I walked/slid there only to find they were shut for lunch . I walked/slid over the road to 2 other shops and they had no tinsel or other things I needed so I went back to the chemist. Whilst waiting for them to open I looked through the window and what did I see - silver tinsel - only not for sale, it was on their shelves as decoration. Anyway when they opened I got the items I needed and then threw myself on their mercy and asked if they would sell me a piece of the tinsel. The lady was very helpful and tried to offer me some of the fat fluffy tinsel they had, but when I explained my son had an asd and wanted thin silver tinsel she was more than happy for me to have the one I had spotted and said her son had Asperger's. She didn't even charge me! Isn't the Christmas spirit wonderful! I came out of there almost tearful at people's kindness My youngest son isn't bothered about decorations etc at all. But my eldest even wants to put out mince pies etc for Father Christmas. He still loves following the traditions and has never actually admitted knowing that Father Christmas may not be real! I see the toddler in him at times like this and it is really lovely. He lives on another planet but it is a very happy planet most of the time (unless we don't have silver tinsel when he wants it! ). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biker69 Report post Posted December 23, 2009 Hi Mandapanda the things we do eh, to make them happy bet he was pleased with your efforts. bit of a coincidence about the lady in the chemists son having AS. biker69 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted December 23, 2009 That's a lovely story Mandapanda. Hope your son is enjoying his tinsel. We love all kinds of tinsel, lights and sparkly things in our house at Christmas. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted December 24, 2009 (edited) Hello What a lovely chemist, i hope that family has an excellent Xmas they deserve it for reaching out to you. One year my gran allowed Rally man to have some of our leftovers, his dad had excluded him from the xmas meal for........being late! of all reasons. As for knowing about Father Christmas the kids really took the mick out of me for not knowing in year 7 about him being "your parents". :wallbash: :wallbash: i hated make believe for a long time after that. The point of pretending just so people can take the mick due to your naivety? Alexis Edited December 24, 2009 by trekster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mandapanda Report post Posted December 24, 2009 Hello What a lovely chemist, i hope that family has an excellent Xmas they deserve it for reaching out to you. One year my gran allowed Rally man to have some of our leftovers, his dad had excluded him from the xmas meal for........being late! of all reasons. As for knowing about Father Christmas the kids really took the mick out of me for not knowing in year 7 about him being "your parents". :wallbash: :wallbash: i hated make believe for a long time after that. The point of pretending just so people can take the mick due to your naivety? Alexis Hi Alexis It's a tricky one. It can be a magical and happy thing, but as you found it can make for misery too. My youngest has been saying for years "There's no such thing as Father Christmas. You lied to us!". But he likes getting the presents (not that that makes up for your experiences though <'> ). Like so many things we parents do, it is done with the best of intentions but it can go horribly wrong. I hope you find Christmas more enjoyable these days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted December 25, 2009 Hello Mandapanda i felt like i had been lied to as well. This year we didn't have a stocking as the "magic" had gone. Unfortunately i found Xmas too overloading for me this year. i was unable to have my mobile going off with texts from my friends. i only knew Rally man was ok as he texted my brother, Xmas dinner was late, my alarm didn't go off for ToTp, i got something i never use and that has benzoates in (when i told the person i cant have benzoates and advised them not to get me something like that). i coped very well with unfortunate news that one of my presents had been left behind in London at least it was well thought out and something i could use. i felt like i wanted to cry and was an outsider as there was too much pressure on me to "be part of the family and socialise" by my mum. She doesn't understand that it just makes it worse to go on about "how important family is to xmas" its not like that with me. If anything my safety nets are more likely to be needed at this time of year. Alexis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mandapanda Report post Posted December 26, 2009 Hello Mandapanda i felt like i had been lied to as well. This year we didn't have a stocking as the "magic" had gone. Unfortunately i found Xmas too overloading for me this year. i was unable to have my mobile going off with texts from my friends. i only knew Rally man was ok as he texted my brother, Xmas dinner was late, my alarm didn't go off for ToTp, i got something i never use and that has benzoates in (when i told the person i cant have benzoates and advised them not to get me something like that). i coped very well with unfortunate news that one of my presents had been left behind in London at least it was well thought out and something i could use. i felt like i wanted to cry and was an outsider as there was too much pressure on me to "be part of the family and socialise" by my mum. She doesn't understand that it just makes it worse to go on about "how important family is to xmas" its not like that with me. If anything my safety nets are more likely to be needed at this time of year. Alexis Hi Alexis My heart goes out to you. Many of us know the feeling of having family who don't understand us, who are thoughtless, and seem to do things deliberately to upset us. Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for many people for a variety of reasons. Could you write a note to your mum explaining how Christmas affects you? Sometimes it can be easier to write things down than say them face-to-face, or show your mum what you have written here as you have put it very clearly and concisely. My niece and nephew hate Christmas because they lost their mum 6 years ago on 7 January. That last Christmas Day their step-dad got drunk even though my sister had asked him not to, he went to sleep so my niece and nephew, who were 12 and 15 at the time, had to cook Christmas dinner with my sister's guidance as she was too unwell to do it herself. Not the best Christmas memory to have. It will soon be over, hope January will be nice and calm and predictable for you. <'> <'> <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted December 26, 2009 thanks for your support mandapanda, i love pandas as they are my fav animals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mandapanda Report post Posted December 27, 2009 thanks for your support mandapanda, i love pandas as they are my fav animals. I love Red Pandas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites