Happy Holidays (or maybe not)

November 25th, 2013

In just a couple of days my family, many of my friends and I will begin celebrating the 8 nights of Channukah.  Now shopping for gifts for friends and family is something that I love doing and I am very good at!  I am one of those people who remembers if you mentioned at sometime that you love antique teapots, or if we had seen an item that you loved at sometime, etc.  I am very resourseful when it comes to where to buy one of a kind items and hard to find items.  And if all else fails, I will just make something.  There is no challenge I have not been able to tackle and conqueor, even the year my daughter announced that she loved octopuses with moustaches but she also wanted a new watch.  So after a lot of searching I found it!  An adorable watch complete with a cute cover with an octopus with a moustache!  VICTORY!  The year that she was into Freddy Krueger, I found a guy who had made a one of a kind bronze charm of his bladed glove.  It was awesome!

If I could start a business just doing this for a living for people I would.

But when it comes to Josh, I seem to have met my match, year after year.  First of all, everytime I walk into a toy store around the holidays, I am always overcome with a deep sadness.  For many parents of special needs children, the holidays can be a difficult time.  So many toys, so many DVDs, so many fun ideas so many childhood memories.  None of it that I can share with him.  Instead my mind is constantly thinking, how can I adapt this for him?  Can he play this with other kids?  He is so picky and no matter what he probably won't like anything I get him unless it is another ball (he has over 80), another talking pedometer or watch (he has about 5 of each) or another digital recorder (he has about 15).  Believe me, I have done my research, I have found items, I have great ideas but he won't like any of them!

The first few years of his life at Channukah, he didn't understand the holiday or presents so we concentrated on giving his things like clothes or stuffed animals.  At the age of 3, he told us that he didn't want any presents so we were happy to oblige.  At age 4, Josh again said that he didn't want anything so we breathed a sigh of relief and went on with the first night of Channukah.  When Hannah finished opening her first gift, Josh called out, "Where is my gift?"  Evan and I looked at each other in horror and after an ackward pause we said, "Oh it's upstairs, we will go get it."  Evan ran one way and I ran the other.  Within 10 minutes we were back in the kitchen, me holding a handmade knit scarf and hat that someone in the family had made and had given to Josh about a year ago but he had never used.  In Evan's hand was a wire hanger that he had bent and twisted to look like an insane sculputer with string tied to it and bells or something hanging on the end of the string.  I cocked my head slightly to the side like a dog that is highly confused by a new command or noise.  Evan beamed back proudly.  He was delighted with his creativeness.  And wouldnt you know it.... Josh loved his gift and hated the scarf and hat.

Last year we went all out and got him a small acoustic guitar and a small drum machine.  He cried and hated both gifts and hasn't touched either item all year long.  This year my father in law is giving Josh his old ipad since he just bought himself a new one.  His dad and I will buy him apps which I have spent many hours researching.  No expectations....  HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!