CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

I realize it is only July. But I have officially started my shopping. Now I have to make my lists and check them twice (or really more often).

I LOVE Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. And I DO BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS!

It is such a chaotic time of year for us since between November 29th and January 11th we have at least 7 birthdays as well as Christmas. Two of those are my husband and daughter which are both the week before Christmas. But that is all ok.

I buy way too much stuff but I find such great deals I can't help it. The kids we buy for love it since I spend a set amount for each of the kids and they get as much as I can get for that amount of money. The younger ones really make out since their stuff is cheaper.

Oh. Yes. I am one of those crazy people who are waiting in line outside in the freezing cold, hopefully not raining or snowing, day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday. I search the net the weeks prior for the leaked lists of what the sale items will be. I carefully look through the ads and plan my attack. Oh the rush......

Ahhh. I love Christmas!

Now don't get me wrong. I am not all about the sensationalism but what I do love is the family (most of them anyway) getting together, church, and the excuse to do things or get things for others that you wouldn't normally. I love to bake cookies and stay home with my daughter.

She gets so excited to see Santa and do Santa related stuff. To go see Christmas lights. To turn on our lights. I decorate before Thanksgiving and have a strict rule that the lights do not get turned on until the day after Thanksgiving. The stay on until New Year's Day. Then they come down and I get sad about it. I love cutting down our tree and decorating the house. I love to see Jaclyn's face when we leave the cookies and milk out for Santa. And then when she wakes up Christmas morning. I take my camera to my room so that as soon as she wakes up it is at my finger tips. I video tape and take pictures of her sleepy head. Last year her and I even had matching Christmas nightgowns.

I think this love of the holiday started when I was little. My grandparents used to do a big Christmas thing. I spent a ton of time with them at their house throughout the year and I know I have several things I love that I can attribute to this. I miss my Grammy terribly since she passed away several years ago. I go through cycles that I miss her more than others. Right now I am really really really missing her. I will never bake anything without thinking of her. My grandfather, Poppy, is still alive and fairly well at age 92. But he is starting to really show signs of his age. He doesn't live near us so we don't get to see him too often. I will get to see him this Saturday for about an hour. I wish it was longer but I will take what I can get. I am trying to take all of his pictures and put them in a scrapbook to give back to him on Saturday. Most of it is very simple since I do not know the stories behind the photos but I am hoping he will write them down or have my aunt do it before he leaves us. He has great stories and it makes me sad if no one will be able to pass those on.