Oh My Goodness!!

I am so behind that by the time I get caught up Christmas will be here. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I would prefer that there not be presents and shopping and all the fuss, but I think that is what makes "IT" for some people. I would prefer to just give unreciprocated gifts just because you want to. Because you were out and saw it and wanted to get it for them. This is not the Christmas tradition though...someday...hee hee!

My preference for shopping, cards and all such as that is to be done by Dec 1. I wait to mail the cards usually so not to be obnoxious. HOWEVER, I have only done it about 3 times since I had kids(NOT ONE TIME SINCE HAVING 3!!!), but it was the norm before having children. Since we have quit using debt to buy Christmas, it has all changed. We use our extra pay period in December to buy Christmas. Erik does let me charge the gifts so I don't actually have to wait until the 15th or something to start shopping. He can then pay off the bill when it comes. So it is still late November, early December before I start my shopping. Shopping when everyone else is shopping is MISERABLE!! Prices are cheaper, but selection stinks. Oh look a fleece pullover at Old Navy for $10!! Oh look, only smalls left. Who wears small? Someone I am sure, but even my skinny sisters (and they are) prefer to actually be able to move around in a medium. So GOOD PRICE=CRAPPY SELECTION.

I really like to shop all year and I plan to again implement the shop all year and just wrap it up closer to Christmas. (This makes me chuckle a little as I think of one of my sisters who used to do this and then forget or lose the gifts-you have to keep careful track in a notebook!!)(She did give some of it to my girls for a treat sometimes when we would go visit!)I think it is much more enjoyable for it not to have a bottom line price too. Erik gave me our total amount spent and my knees buckled a little. I am very price conscious so it is a bit of a downer for me to see so much money going out. If you do it all year $50 here and there is painless. "We've spent $XXXX on Christmas" is NOT painless. It brings my inner scrooge to the light. Erik's comes out as well and it is quite a damper on all things Christmas for scrooges to be on the loose. I can't help but wonder about all the parents I know who spend SOOO much more than we do, we tell our kids to only ask for one thing from Santa or he will find them greedy and there are others more needy. That always gets an eye roll from Kayla who has a list a mile long but narrows down to the top few and shares it all through the months of Oct, Nov, Dec with any interested relative. Erika and Lilly like surprises more. They have always been pleased with Santa in the past and usually only have a couple of things they want.

Oh well, I am rambling. I am trying to chill and enjoy the holiday, but until these cards are all finished, it is futile. I hope you are kicked back with a cup of Christmas cheer(milk)and a goody and I will join you tomorrow! I HOPE!!