Monday, December 07, 2009

CHRISTMASY

Over the weekend, I really ramped up the Christmas preparedness. Things have been getting busier and busier around here, and when I thought about it, I realized that I have exactly three days before Christmas that I’m not working or traveling. Saturday and Sunday were two of them. And since I am a cautious shopper, it usually takes me a while to get the gifts all purchased, so I knew if I wanted to be able to enjoy the rest of the month and not work myself into a backbend over holiday-induced stress, I needed to get busy.

Here’s what I mean by cautious shopper. In my mind (and as of Sunday, my phone), I have a little list of who is getting what and how much I have budgeted for them. Sunday, while browsing a few stores, I wrote down TEN different things I thought C would like for Christmas. I know. TEN. But since I'm no Donald Trump, that list had to get whittled. And that's my hardest part. Choosing/narrowing down and then pulling the trigger on what I want to get people. I have been like this for years. I always fret they won’t like it or I’ll find it cheaper or better or come up with something more dazzling and exciting and just file away that idea away in case everything else doesn’t pan out. That’s for certain people. Then I have other people, like my mother, for whom I cannot think of ANYTHING to purchase for Christmas and would love to have just ONE good idea let alone ten. So I always brainstorm and then run around and buy everything after I’ve thought it through way too much. But, in a rare move for me, I bought all of C’s Christmas gifts yesterday, on what was supposed to be brainstorming/browsing day. So technically, I’m ahead of myself! Yay!

But actually, the real festivities kicked off on Saturday, when I went to the mailbox and found my free holiday return address labels from St. Jude. Hooray! These will be very useful to a man by my same name. Yes, if anyone knows anyone that would like some Mr. LJ return address labels, let me know. Later that night, C let me join him, T1 and T2 in putting up the Christmas tree. We started How the Grinch Stole Christmas while C strung lights and then got all the ornaments hung up. There were only two ornament casualties, which I thought was not bad for four tiny hands. We bought an ornament in Vegas this summer, so I was happy to finally get to hang that one. The finished result is really pretty, as are all lovingly-decorated Christmas trees, and I can’t wait to put the aforementioned presents underneath it.

Here’s what else is coming down the pike before the 24th:

A party this Friday
My remaining free day before Christmas
Bunko next Tuesday – pajama-themed, genius!
Work parties and T1 and 2’s school program
Another party
Home for a wedding!
This point in the list is where I’d list “Rockettes show!” but I couldn’t find anyone to go with me. Oh well, maybe next year.

Happy holidays!

5 comments:

  1. ooo, ooo, i'll go! pick me, pick me!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. you never asked me to go...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Must have misplaced my invite...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can guarantee a best dressed for the pajama party if you show up in one of these:

    http://www.jumpinjammerz.com/

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Don't know if you've read my latest post, but you and Adam should totally go shopping together in Nashville. I think it would work out quite nicely.

    ReplyDelete

Oh goody!

wordpress blog stats