Thursday, June 17, 2010

CABOODLES!

That is a seriously funny word...one I had forgotten about for quite some time (like, since waaaay back in the '90's). Until someone I know wrote it in a facebook status. Man, it brought back one searing memory faster than I could blink, and here I am, sharing it with you.
I am a meticulous gift giver. I feel like I spend hours thinking about what I'm going to give people at Christmas, making lists, converting those lists to Excel files complete with a budget calculator, and then online shopping until I find the perfect deal. On the flip side, I worry about gifts given to me. I want people to know that I am truly thankful for anything they give me, and I've always stressed when people have asked for me to make a list of what I want. It feels so incredibly vain and selfish, yet I sit down and plot out all the restaurants I'd love to eat at, spas I'd love to visit, and beauty products that I won't splurge on with my own money (well, most of the time...)

One year when I was around 11 or 12, those horridly awkward tween years (although we didn't call them that back then, we were just still children) my grandmother wanted my Christmas list. And the one thing I really wanted was a Caboodles make-up case.





Come on ladies, you know that either brought you right back to somewhere between 7th and 9th grade, or you are now slack-jawed in all of the early '90's awesomeness going on right therr.

Now, knowing my Granny the way I do, I was all excited for Christmas that year. I had been asking my mom for a Caboodles for months and she just would not give in. Every time we went to Wal-Mart I eyed them, wondering which color Granny would pick out for me, how big it would be (b/c ya, bigger was totally better, we used a lot of eyeshadow AND hairspray in middle school in North Cack). I couldn't get over myself and this Caboodles deal.

And then we got to her house for Christmas, and as I eyed all of the gifts under the tree (Granny went WAY overboard with Christmas presents) I spotted one of those plastic Christmas bags with my name on it. And the shape of made my stomach churn. Because under that bag, I could tell, was a makeup case. A Sassaby makeup case. And I just got more and more nervous and anxious as my turn to open gifts came. Not because I was a bratty spoiled kid, but because I could tell Granny was so proud of getting me exactly what I had asked for and I was nervous that she would be able to tell from my reaction that it was not the right thing. I tried to fake it, I really did. I smiled and hugged her and said thank you and nodded my head when she beamingly asked me if it was the right one. But she could tell.

She kept asking me if I was sure it was right, if I was sure it was ok. I assured her I loved it, but when we got home it just sat in my room untouched. None of the cool girls at Carnage G.T. Magnet Middle School (yes, I went to a school named Carnage, and yes hubby teases me every time I saw it) carried a Sassaby. I would be mocked if I brought that Burgundy monstrosity to the dress rehearsal for our dance recital. Finally my mom just made me exchange it for the one I wanted, and it was like a sigh of relief.

I don't know why I am so worried people won't like my gifts, but I know I am much more worried that people will think I don't appreciate theirs. I would love to hear your gift giving/receiving stories!




6 comments:

  1. Caboodles were so much better than Sassaby's. You were a strong little lady for holding out for so long!
    I stress myself out giving gifts because I always want them to be unique and personal. But I suck at wrapping. Most of my friends make fun of me cause everything goes in a gift bag. I've tried and tried to get the pretty wrapping thing down but I just can't seem to get it. The Hubs is responsible for all gift wrapping during the holidays!

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  2. OK...so I'm too lazy to edit, but I found this quote in an email someone sent me about what 4-8 year olds think love is and I thought it was so appropriate to remember Christmas at my Granny's house:

    'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you
    stop opening presents
    and listen.'
    Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

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  3. Just found you through the Blog brew tab. That's so sweet. I had and still have a Caboodle! It sits on my make up table with all my stuff still in there! Best way to keep it all in one spot!

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  4. That's awesome...my mom still uses my old one (similar to the pic, but with the slide out compartments) to store her nail polish and mani/pedi "items". We've used it that way for years, so it's now covered with nail polish test strokes.

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  5. I saw the link to your blog on "Blog Brew Review". Reading about Caboodles brought me waaaaaay back! I'm sure I had an off-brand of Caboodles. I'm sure I wanted to kick someone in their cabootie for that one! I just blogged about Ms. Pac-Man (because I am STILL addicted alllll these years later). It was fun reading about another blast from the past!

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  6. So funny! I found you through Blog Brew Review as well! I had a Caboodle and it was the junk! Carried it everywhere, stuffed full of industrial strength hair lacquers, Vavoom to be exact,very colorful eyeshadow, and bright pink lipstick.
    I wanted a gold, serpentine(sp) chain for Christmas one year. Why, I'm admitting to this, I'll never know. And I wanted a wide one. Like Mr. T wide.
    My dad was shopping for me and had a new very cheap girlfriend. She picked out a fake one. I was mortified. It was all I'd asked for. And I couldn't even wear it, because back in the day, girls would look at your jewelry and see if it was real. Oh the horror!
    And you should no doubt have a "carnage" tee! That's priceless!

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