I spent the morning wrapping my kids Christmas presents. I readily admit that I am an over-achiever but, in this particular case, I did it less as a result of that and more because I simply don't have the room to store the confounded things for the next six weeks.
I love wrapping gifts and this morning was no different. Although I often find it difficult to get into the "Christmas spirit" prior to Thanksgiving. The fact that was about 80 degrees outside didn't help, but it wasn't anything that the ceiling fan and my Josh Groban Christmas CD couldn't remedy.
Box after box, I cut, wrapped, and taped, carefully marking each gift with a child's name as to not forget which box belongs to whom. I moved on to the books. The school teacher in me doesn't let Christmas go by without the gift of a new book for each kid. As I slowly moved through the assortment of presents (sounds like more than it actually was), I kept eyeing one gift in particular. You know the gift. It is the one that is shaped in such a way that it is veritably impossible to wrap with paper. There is one every year. Last year, it was a barrel full of Play-doh. This year it is a play frying pan, complete with lid, and filled with plastic food. I know some of you would just opt for a gift bag, but let's face it, little kids don't care for gift bags and, while I hold them in high esteem for the rest of my gift giving, when it comes to my kids, gift bags don't cut it.
So there it was, staring back at me, taunting me as if to say, "Let's see what you've got, lady...I dare you." Watching it out of the corner of my eye, I proceeded to wrap, label, and pack every other gift until I couldn't put it off any longer. One present left and ten minutes before my eldest walked through the door from school, I took a deep breath and cut a piece of wrapping paper knowing full well that the size didn't matter. It took a good deal of time, but in the end, every inch of that frying pan was covered with wrapping paper. So what if it looks like I wrapped a giant fried chicken leg and placed it under the tree Christmas morning? I comforted myself in knowing that it still far suprassed any gift ever wrapped by my brother-in-law (sorry, Alex, but you know it's true!) and I'm sure my 18-month old won't care in the least.
Take that frying pan!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Ready Or Not, Here It Comes!
The Christmas season is upon us...although I tend to prefer to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to fully embrace it. This year, I don't feel the luxury of putting off my preparations. With three kids under the age of four and the inability to find time to take care of the simple, every day aspects of life, such as going to the bathroom, the holiday season demands that I meet it head-on as early as humanly possible.
I typically begin my Christmas shopping in July. July 25th is unofficially "Christmas In July" at our house and kicks of my Christmas shopping season. I do this for a couple reasons. One, because, quite frankly, by the time July hits, those of us who live in Arizona, have been sweltering for well over 2 months and the hope that the holidays are coming helps to cheer me and offset the occasional urge to off myself as the temperature soars into the 120s. Secondly, from a budgeting stanpoint, it's a necessity. Christmas is definitely my favorite time of the year, but the need and desire to eat for the two months prior to it dictate that I begin shopping during the summer and take advantage of as many "deals" as possible.
That being said, I have nearly completed my Christmas shopping...for the kids, that is. Family shopping remains to be done and sends me into a psychological state I prefer not to discuss, at least until my Xanax prescription is refilled.
Truth be told, however, and we moms can attest to this...the shopping is really the easiest part of the show. Lugging the gifts home, wrapping them, storing them, cleaning the house, baking the goodies, running the errands, shipping the boxes, mailing the Christmas cards, attending countless events, buying and preparing the food, etc. etc. etc. are the things that send us into an emotional frenzy and suck the joy out of the season.
So, while it seams premature to me to begin my Christmas preparations so soon...my hope is that this year I will find some time to sit and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays like I once did.
I typically begin my Christmas shopping in July. July 25th is unofficially "Christmas In July" at our house and kicks of my Christmas shopping season. I do this for a couple reasons. One, because, quite frankly, by the time July hits, those of us who live in Arizona, have been sweltering for well over 2 months and the hope that the holidays are coming helps to cheer me and offset the occasional urge to off myself as the temperature soars into the 120s. Secondly, from a budgeting stanpoint, it's a necessity. Christmas is definitely my favorite time of the year, but the need and desire to eat for the two months prior to it dictate that I begin shopping during the summer and take advantage of as many "deals" as possible.
That being said, I have nearly completed my Christmas shopping...for the kids, that is. Family shopping remains to be done and sends me into a psychological state I prefer not to discuss, at least until my Xanax prescription is refilled.
Truth be told, however, and we moms can attest to this...the shopping is really the easiest part of the show. Lugging the gifts home, wrapping them, storing them, cleaning the house, baking the goodies, running the errands, shipping the boxes, mailing the Christmas cards, attending countless events, buying and preparing the food, etc. etc. etc. are the things that send us into an emotional frenzy and suck the joy out of the season.
So, while it seams premature to me to begin my Christmas preparations so soon...my hope is that this year I will find some time to sit and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays like I once did.
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