The uncomfortable holiday encounter

I have a major fear during the holiday season: the unequal exchange. Basically, someone gives me a gift and I'm left empty handed with nothing to give in return. Or, someone sends me a Christmas card and I didn't send them one. Of course with the Christmas card embarrassment I can always send out a card the next day and cover up most of the shame.

Now, the hubs and I are leaving to visit my family tomorrow. If any more surprising Christmas cards show up between tomorrow and the 27th, then the sender is going to have to wait until next year to receive a card. Hopefully, we don't receive too many more unexpected cards. On one hand I love receiving cards, but I always feel guilty when that unexpected card shows up in the mail.

My extended family does a Secret Santa-ish type gift exchange, which is nice because I have a lot of aunts and uncles. The gift exchange system is in place to help everyone's wallets and I am not one to complain. I'm pretty confident the hubs and I won't be left red-faced this year, but I'm still nervous because three years ago one of my cousins gave us a gift and we didn't have one to give in return. Talk about being embarrassed!!! Every year I swear to buy a generic giftcard to have in my back pocket for just that very reason. Too bad every year I forget to buy the thing! Doh!!!

The hubs, of course, thinks I'm crazy when it comes to these matters. His response, "babe, who cares if someone sends us a card and we didn't send them one. No one keeps track of that stuff." He's knows some people do, but he just says these things to keep me sane (clearly, not all of them work!).

Does anyone else fret over these things or am I really crazy?