One Holiday down . . .

One to go. I don't know about you but it seems like I just put my Christmas tree away from last year! I know they start putting Christmas stuff out in the stores in October, but it seems unreal and I don't pay much attention, but once Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas music starts playing I really start getting the Holiday Spirit. I think my favorite time of the year is the week after Thanksgiving. It kind of goes down hill from there. I mean you go from not thinking about Christmas because your so worried about Thanksgiving to OH MY Gosh only 25 days till Christmas! And every day that goes by is one less day to shop, one less day to decorate, and one less day to bake. Now, all of these things we have to do on top of work, church and activites that we were already squeezing into our busy lives. I'm not a shop ahead type of person. I'm still finding gifts I bought 3 years ago and forgot about. I'm not a simple shopper. I have to find just the right gift. I worry, I stress, I don't sleep. And the closer Christmas comes the more stressed I get. While I am out pounding the pavement, Ed sits in the car with his crossword puzzles and Christmas music all relaxed and calm. I am sorry to tell my kids that if anything ever happens to me you will never get a gift of any kind from dad. He's just not a shopper except for himself. If I tell him we are going to town to buy him a new shirt he's the first one in car with the motor reving. But I have to say that he is very patient while I am shopping and he drives me anywhere I want to go. I know in the whole perspective of things that everything will work out - I just wish there was a way to take the stress out of Christmas so I could enjoy it more.