Working out the kinks ...

I can't think of any holidays that really annoy me, and I'm trying, as I write this. If anything - and this is only when reminded of it very rarely - I'm kind of like Carrie in that one "Sex and the City" episode where she gets her nice shoes stolen at a baby shower because the parents insisted everyone de-shoe at the door to not track in dirt. She waited a while, then mentioned it nicely to the mother, and the mother offered to pay for a portion of the shoes, then lectured Carrie on her lifestyle when Carrie pointed out that was only about half their replacement price. As Carrie pointed out, she had spent how much? on wedding and baby gifts for this couple over the years, and they'd never had to get her ANYTHING because she hadn't married or had children. Then she goes on to point out how if a woman conforms to society's expectations and marries and/or has children, she often gets gifts for these, but if she stays single, she'll never get anything for her own other-type of accomplishments.