Thanksgiving has come and gone. After braving the legendary traffic along 95 yesterday, and a quick night's rest at my parents', we are home, and ready (or, if not "ready," willing, at least) to get back to work and get on with the holidays. During our travels, Justin's mom, and mine, too, both equally wonderful in their gift-giving enthusiasm, asked us what we wanted for Christmas, and it's funny, most years the same things apply. Clothes. Jewelry. Books. Music. I never get tired of the standards.

Lately though, with the career change and all - you know, from my having a job, to, ah, sort of not having one, insuring myself and picking up only sporadic paychecks - J and I have been pretty good about not spending too much money. We're young and somewhat frugal (food, I'd say, is the biggest tempation we give in to - both restaurants and take-out) and the situation has changed the way I think and what I buy. Shopping sprees are rare. I've become better at not splurging on unnecessary items, like expensive shampoo. I even bought some ramen noodles at the grocery store recently, six for $1, and then quickly remembered that the value isn't really worth it, not because of the gallons of MSG and lack of nutrional value, but because if within easy reach, I will revert back to college ways eat them constantly, especially late at night, a second dinner. And that sort of defeats the whole money-saving idea. I want to be financially savvy. Not fat.

So when asked what I wanted for Christmas, a gagillion things sprung to mind. An MRI. Gossip magazines. $2-plus soap and other bathroom accessories. A gift certificate to the dentist. Kitty litter.

While realizing that J and I are very lucky people (evident, for instance, in the fact that anyone wants to buy us anything at all, when we are notoriously bad at getting people presents anywhere close to the date of the upcoming holiday, wedding or anniversary) I imagine we will look back fondly on this time in our lives. I like that we still have a lot of things to look forward to, however small, like having more money and living somewhere big enough that we can display all the beautiful china we got for our wedding, instead of keeping it stashed under the bed, where it is right now. And please don't feel bad if that's what you got us, because although your present is, indeed, under the bed, yet to see the light of day, I think of it often, and when we live in a house where we have the room to not only display the stuff, but also have, like, some sort of dining room table - or any table for that matter - you are so coming over for dinner.