Are you ready?

Christmas. Its almost here, cant you just feel it? Yes, I am aware that we still have Thanksgiving to get by first but in all reality its just around the corner and this time next week it will have passed and as for my family we will be putting up the tree and the decor and having take out Chinese food as our tradition is usually. So really Christmas is not that far off at all. Scary huh? Even me who is practically done with all my shopping is still stressing on all things Christmas. Money is tighter this year and money needs to be stretched further due to covering other things (mainly needs) which really sucks, but I think I already mentioned that.

I only have a small handful of people to buy for, and two of those 4 gifts will be gift cards. Don't lecture me on the tackiness of gift cards because when you live half way across the country from certain people you need to buy for that you sadly only talk to a handful of times a year and that is mainly when you come to visit its hard to know what they need or want short of calling and asking and that seems even more tacky, so sending gift cards seems the best way to go. For the short list of recipients I need to buy for I am grateful. Which means no having to brave the stores once Thanksgiving has come and gone and they get much more crazy. Even my kids are done with the exception of the DVDs I will pick up for them that are not yet out, which are simple enough. See in our family each kids gets a pair of PJ's that suits their personality and a DVD. The PJ's are for Christmas morning (they get them Christmas Eve) and the DVDs are also for Christmas eve when we snuggle up in our new PJ's and watch the kids movies till they fall asleep while waiting for Santa to come. Obviously they are not excited about the PJ's every year but its kind of like a tradition for us and I can't seem to break it.

I love Christmas, have I mentioned that? I love the smell of candles (reminder, buy some new Christmas scented candles) the twinkling of the lights on the Christmas tree. I love the music and all the baking I tend to do, more so then any other year. I love the kids getting all dressed up and looking adorable and taking pictures (though I am sure this is not their favorite part) and the opening of family presents on Christmas Eve. I love putting the kids to bed and pretending to eat the cookies, drink the milk and unload all of Santa's gifts under the tree and filling the stockings with more goodies and then having the kids wake us up with the excitement in their eyes as they wait for us to get up (and wake up) before we give the OK to tear into the gifts while we watch their faces light up with smiles and say "cool" or "wow" yes, I love Christmas. I'm not crazy on how much money we spend, but I love the looks on the kids faces and the memories that are made. I remember being a kid, how much I loved this season, it must be where I got it from, I was always a Christmas fanatic growing up. Now Its about giving the same to my kids. 

I remember when we lived in GA, a place I loved for the warm weather, the beaches near by, but Christmas was the one time I did not like being there. I loved when we were able to escape to Minnesota to visit with Family and have a cooler Christmas with the promise of snow. It is the same here, Snow and the cold makes it feel more like Christmas, which is something I am grateful for, even though I generally despise most of the weather here in WA when it is mainly rain (its even raining now as I type, it is always raining) 

So there, that is my Christmas rant. 33 days to Christmas (I think) Now if only my husband would get a clue and stop buying me my gifts while I am present, I love him but he is not the most subtle person in the world. He never has been. 

Now we just sit and wait. The thought of Chinese food next Friday is making me very hungry by the way.