It's the holiday season and I am way behind on it. My two elders (children) have birthdays in November, one at the beginning and one at the end, so I am just finishing birthday shopping when I have to turn around and start Christmas shopping.
This year has been particularly rough on me as I've not had an overabundance of holiday spirit. I lost my sister on the 20th last year and she was a large part of what gave me the 'mood' of Christmas.
On the first of December she would always call me and tell me what I was getting her for Christmas. (She was mentally handicapped for those that don't know) Every day after that, I would receive similar phone calls-just to make sure that I didn't forget and to find out what I was getting my daughter, so she could torment her with the knowledge. It's hard getting used to not having that.
So, I am running behind on my holiday spirit, much to my kids' dismay, and sadly neglecting my blog in the process. I opened my email and had this terrific idea from my great pal and cp, Louisa Cornell, on doing a blog about 16 Things About Me. I thought, why not? It will update the blog and be fun. But! I thought I would shake it up and post 16 things I love about Christmas, since I need to find my Christmas spirit fast!
Here goes:
1 I love decorating the house for Christmas! Each room would be decorated if my husband felt the same, sadly he does not and restricts me from decorating our bedroom and bathroom. He's a grinch, what can I say? (And I can't argue with him not wanting to use a toilet with a snowman smiling up at him)
2 I love Christmas trees-they can be real or fake, I don't care-as long as they are decorated and aren't white aluminum, I'm happy.
3 Candy canes. I love a cup of hot chocolate with a candy cane sticking out of it. Umm, delicious. And who doesn't love a christmas tree with candy canes all over it?
4 Buying gifts. I do love buying gifts for people, I can't help myself and I usually end up wishing I were a millionaire just so I could buy more!
5 Taking pictures. I'm a scrapbooker, and I love taking pictures of my kids and if you see question #2, I love Christmas trees, so taking pictures of my kids in front of a Christmas tree makes me deliriously happy!
6 Christmas cards. I love giving (although I generally misplace them! and find them in March) and receiving Christmas cards. I think this goes back to my childhood and the way my Grandmother would hang her cards around her door frames. I loved looking at all of the different cards.
7 Carols. I love Christmas carols and often have them playing in the background this time of year. I love them all from Run, Run Rudolph to the Little Drummer Boy. I love them when I'm cleaning house, or driving the car. I especially love them when I'm wrapping gifts! Although there is one exception to the rule-I loathe the song, Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.
8 Stockings. I am a total fool over stuffing a stocking and watching the kids delight in the cheap toys and candies-it reminds them that not everything has to cost a fortune.
9 Cartoons. Not to be confused with movies, I'm talking the old claymation cartoons, Rudolph and Frosty. I also love the regular cartoons like How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
10 Scrooged. I absolutely adore this movie! Bill Murray is so frigging hilarious and I laugh like I've never seen it before every time! (I would watch this year round but hubby has made a rule where I have to restrict it to Christmas season, told you he's a grinch!)
11 Wrapping paper. It's true, I am the pickiest person when it comes to wrapping paper! No cartoon character paper for me, thank you very much! I want Christmas-y looking paper with doves, trees, wreaths, stockings, or angels. A bit of shine to it, fancy script writing and I am ready to wrap gifts!
12 Christmas lights. I think this is different from decorating because I'm referring to outside Christmas lights on other people's houses. I love driving after dark and looking at all of the beautiful lights!
13 Eggnog. I do like a cup of eggnog, although I'm the only one in my house that does!
14 Christmas cookies. I love baking the cookies with my kids on Christmas eve night. It's become a tradition that I wouldn't trade for anything.
15 Homemade decorations. Don't get me wrong, I have tons of fabulous and fancy ornaments that I've bought, but I love making ornaments with my kids and using them year after year. It's a special memory of them that I get to keep forever.
16 Watching my kids open their presents!! For a parent, is there anything better than telling your kid that you couldn't find something, or that there's no way I'm getting that! and then watching their eyes light up when they open their gifts to see it? (What? You don't torment and tempt your kids about what you bought them?? That's part of the fun!!)
So how about you? If you can't think of 16 things, what's your top 5 favorite things about Christmas?
5 comments:
Fabulous post! I adore all things Chrismtas. I think I could say "ditto" on just about everything you mentioned!
I'm sorry to hear about your sister and the lower spirits this year but I know that she'd want you to be having a wonderful time in her memory! Maybe you guys could come up with a tradition that honors her memory such as donating to a good cause or having a cup of hot chocolate (with candy canes!) on the 20th for her. Just a thought!
Terry Jo,what an amazing post! Good for you for at least trying to spread Christmas cheer--it's in short supply everywhere I look this year.
I love the night of Christmas, after everything is opened and the big meal is over and you can just sit and watch the kiddos playing with their stuff.
stephenie, that's a terrific idea to start a tradition in Laura's memory! Thank you.
Writing this post and then wrapping gifts all morning helped me find a lot of my Christmas spirit-Yay!
Gillian, you're so right about the after-Christmas evening, I should have put that in there. Although mine usually involves a mad dash to pick up the batteries that somehow never make it in the basket while I'm shopping!
Merry Christmas Eve!!!!!!!
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