There's a new kid in town

I ain't gonna lie to y'all. If I'm not careful Christmas stuff can easily consume me. It doesn't take much for me to get wrapped up in getting the perfect gift for so and so's 3rd cousin thrice removed or making sure everything is wrapped just so or making sure that the neighbors 19 houses down have their tray of goodies. Obviously I know that none of that is what Christmas is about. But anyway, it's easy to get consumed.

So this year I was a bit frantic for a week or so there while I tried to sort out Christmas cards and pictures. You see, on the whole, adults in my family have decided to basically quit exchanging gifts. There are lots of kids and it just seems like our time and money is better spent on them! But we did have a new baby this year which meant I felt like everyone should get a new family picture. That was there the stress lie with me. We had like 6 different poses and about 37 different sizes and about 15 people to pick pictures for. I tried and tried and tried to get a system going but I just couldn't come up with one. And of course we sent out 60 Christmas cards. Yes, you read that right, 60. And because I believe Christmas actually is about keeping in touch and family and friends and spirit and cheer, I write a hand-written message in each card. It made for a long 10 days while I tried to get all that sorted out whilst*** dealing with the other shenanigans of life. But, I got that all taken care of and all the presents are bought, wrapped and shipped (we only shipped one actual package of gifts this year, the rest were cards + pictures). I just have a few very small things to pick up and wrap over the next few days. But I get to spend the next week baking goodies for fun. Yes, I really actually bake for fun. So that'll be nice. And I'm going to watch old Christmas specials and be lazy and do nothing. And then I'll drive to my mother in law's house where, yes, I'll do even less. When we go down there for Christmas, she does all the cooking and cleaning and I take a lot of naps since I have someone else to take care of my family. It's glorious.

So I hope you're all having a very Merry and very mild Christmas! Watch some Charlie Brown and some Miracle On 34th Street. Be lazy. Bake up a batch of fudge and eat half of it yourself. You'll thank me for it, I promise. And if I don't see you, be blessed this holiday season and more important, be a blessing.

***I love the word "whilst", I use it every chance I get.