One step closer

Christmas is almost here - as in, like, a week away. Or not even "like" a week away. It's an actual week away!

I sent out Christmas cards last week. That was step one. Then Saturday, I finished (or, you know, did all at once) my Christmas shopping. Step two. Then after the shopping, I decorated my house. That was step three. Though I must confess, I only decorated the inside. If I'm going to the trouble of putting up outside lights, which I usually do, they need to be up at least 3 weeks before Christmas. That's too much work for only a week or two's enjoyment. And I take them down right after New Year's. Since I was too far beyond the 3-week limit this year, it's inside-only decorating this year. But the inside looks very festive!

I didn't mind cranking out all my shopping in one day, but I must say that I've discovered a certain element of my shopping that's less fun than it used to be. There are not a huge number of people on my list, but the people who are there are, in many cases, hard to buy for. Either they buy themselves whatever they want when they want it, leaving you with no idea what to buy them that they don't already have, or they're likely to get what I buy them from more than one source. So, I found myself attaching the gift receipt to a record number of presents this year before I wrapped them.

That was kind of a damper on the joy of giving - this *expectation* that the recipient would probably return it. The fun of giving a gift is trying to think what someone wants and then the awesome feeling when they open it and you can tell they're genuinely excited - you nailed it. When you can't even make it out of the store without thinking, "Well, I guess they can take it back," it sort of leaves you with the feeling, "Why am I doing this?"

But it's done, so I can move on to the part of the season where I go to holiday dinners and parties (that's already started actually...) and then see my family. In other words, the good stuff. Just a few more days of work, and I'm off until January 2! Woo-hoo!