<p>`Please tell me I’m not the only one. H and kids are accusing me of being crabby and I am! Maybe some tea will help. (or Prozac…ha ha!)</p>
<p>I am extremely stressed! H is out of town again this week (he stopped by home for a quick visit on Sunday), was gone last week, and will be gone next week. DS is off to China on Thursday, but doesn’t come home from school until Wednesday. I expect him to arrive with ten weeks of dirty laundry, but he’ll want to hang with friends instead of pack. Very little shopping has been done, no baking and we don’t have our tree up. Can you say, “Bah, humbug!”</p>
<p>dke, actually I think this is the first year ever! when I haven’t been holiday stressing! Usually around this time I’m in stress mode extreme. 
I’ve made an effort this year not to stress and (so far) it seems to be working. I started my shopping mid-November, after making the executive decision to scale back this year. I tend to go overboard with gifts and I let the kids know that I wasn’t doing that this year. They’re at the age now where there isn’t a lot that they want/need so I asked for a few ideas from each of them, and fortunately they were able to come up with one main gift each, then a few ideas for books/cds/dvds. I’ll fill in with a few smaller things and some $ towards next semester’s spending money, a trip one is planning, classroom supplies for my D who’s a teacher, and a summer abroad program for another.</p>
<p>I did a LOT of online shopping this year, including for those who live far away. I haven’t done any baking but I did go through my recipes the other day to see what I need. I usually leave that til the last week before Christmas. We’re going to get the tree next weekend. The shopping that I do have left is for our “Christmas family”. We ‘adopt’ a needy family each year and shop for gifts for each member as well as a week’s supply of food. My youngest D and I will do that this week. </p>
<p>My youngest D and my mom have both had serious health issues this year so maybe that’s helped me to relax a bit for Christmas, I’m not sure. I’m just thankful that we’ll all be together over the holidays, as well as a couple of extended family members who haven’t spent Christmas with us in years. That really is what I’ve been focussing on and if the house isn’t perfect or there isn’t enough baking done, I’m not going to worry! :)</p>
<p>dke, tea always helps! My kids make fun of me because a ‘nice cup of tea’ is my remedy for pretty much anything.</p>
<p>Usually at this time of the year, I’m running around trying to get all kinds of things done. I feel no stress this year. I’ve ordered a few gifts over the internet and DH and I will shop tonight for several angels we got from the angel tree, but I’m just not worried about all the other stuff. I’m usually the one who is left to put up the lights, decorate the tree (with DD), bring down the decorations from the attic, etc., but so far I haven’t done a thing. DH suggested the other day it might be time to put up some lights. “Great idea,” I said … “better get busy” . He’s not one who gets excited about decorating … maybe that’s because I’m the one who has always done it in the past, but after 22 years of marriage, I’m going to let him take over. DD asked that I please wait to put up the tree until she comes home on the 12th … we always have a great time decorating the tree together.</p>
<p>Here’s some advice that’s kept me sane so far this season.</p>
<p>I avoided the ludicrous midnight and early morning shopping events, typically attended by all sorts of disturbed persons.</p>
<p>Finish your shopping by Dec 10, particularly for toys.</p>
<p>If possible, limit shopping to a handful of stores.</p>
<p>Take a break for yourself during weekend shopping, preferably a movie.</p>
<p>Get a take-out meal rather than cook after a day of shopping.</p>
<p>I am WAY behind this year. I’ve been working long hours, which is great for paying S’s tuition (big payment in December) but bad for getting ready for Christmas. Decorations are not up, shopping is not started (except for gift cards I earned free through MyPoints); in fact, I haven’t even started a list for what I need to buy or make or do. However, one work session is ending today, so I will have a little extra time and hope to get a move on around here. </p>
<p>Christmas time certainly seems to creep up faster every year!</p>
<p>Misery loves company, thanks! and encouraging to hear from the rest of you that if you put your mind to it you CAN de-stress!</p>
<p>I’m not particularly stressed–had the tribe over for Thanksgiving, which was a nice event & fairly relaxing (hubby took the week before off to help tidy the house with me, which helped tremendously). Went to Costco & have my dining room table FILLED with edible holiday gift treats. </p>
<p>Was knocked out by nasty virus & am now just grateful for recovering health as I contemplate the gifts I’ll be sharing with friends. Whenever I get too stressed, I put on a DV of the 36-DVD set of MASH Medicine & Martinis & try to keep perspective about what’s important in life–health & family.</p>
<p>S will be home 12/13 & who knows, our new oven may even be installed by then (it’s been broken since summer).</p>
<p>It’s FREEZING here and I’m really regretting not hanging the outside lights last week when it was warm. When can I give up on all this stuff??? </p>
<p>I think Christmas should be an every-other-year event.</p>
<p>Weenie…lol. I just put up my fake tree (went to the fake one when no one would help me lug the real one home for the past few years). DS is not here. DD wasn’t interested in coming out of her room to help. DH was at the golf course. </p>
<p>Bought a few gifts online. No outside lights. We have 75 degree weather but I just don’t feel like it this year. </p>
<p>Swamped at work. Fairly empty nest house. Bah humbug</p>
<p>Yes, Weenie, Christmas comes around too fast. Every other year would work out very well. Let’s see if the family likes the idea…NOT!</p>
<p>My kid once had to write a little “essay” in about 4th grade that was about our family traditions at the holidays. Every sentence started with “my mom.” “My mom buys a lot of presents.” “My mom wraps the presents.” “My mom takes us to Santa.” “My mom puts the lights on the tree.” “My mom makes cookies.” “My mom makes a big dinner.” Well, you get the idea. (I could have added about 100 sentences to it.)</p>
<p>dke: How’s the pup doing?</p>
<p>LOL
In kindergarten, my daughter had to write (or tell, and the teacher wrote it) a story about her family, and most of it was something like “My mom buys food”, “My mom cleans the house”, “My mom puts away the clothes”. My friends thought it was really funny! Your story is similar - I guess we should be glad the kids notice the things we do around the house.</p>
<p>^ :)</p>
<p>Weenie, our Havanese is doing fine. He’s going through “adolescence” according to the trainer lady, which means now I have two teenage boys. errr…My son calls him “the brother I never had” so I guess it was worth getting him. I sure am out and about more…3 walks a day so that’s good! If I could just get him to stop snitching papers and placemats off the kitchen table! thanks for asking!</p>
<p>The topic of Holiday Cards always reminds me of the guy who H used to work with years ago who sends us these GROSS cards with all of this health information in it. “More than I needed to know!” as H would say. There are limits! (“my sciatica is getting under control but now I’ve developed acid reflux”) type of comment.ugh.</p>
<p>I’m not much in the God department but I thought this was hilarious. Your posts about essays your kids wrote remimded me of this.</p>
<p>Why God made Moms – BRILLIANT Answers given by 2nd grade school
children to the following questions!!</p>
<p>Why did God make mothers?</p>
<ol>
<li>She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.</li>
<li>Mostly to clean the house.</li>
<li>To help us out of there when we were getting born.</li>
</ol>
<p>How did God make mothers?</p>
<ol>
<li>He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.</li>
<li>Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring</li>
<li>God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He Just used bigger parts.</li>
</ol>
<p>What ingredients are mothers made of?</p>
<ol>
<li>God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice
in the world and one dab of mean.</li>
<li>They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly
use string, I think.</li>
</ol>
<p>Why did God give you Your mother & not some other mom?</p>
<ol>
<li>We’re related
2.God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me.</li>
</ol>
<p>What kind of little girl was your mom?</p>
<ol>
<li>My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.</li>
<li>I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.</li>
<li>They say she used to be nice.</li>
</ol>
<p>What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?</p>
<ol>
<li>His last name.</li>
<li>She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get
drunk on beer?</li>
<li>Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?</li>
</ol>
<p>Why did your mom marry your dad?</p>
<ol>
<li>My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.</li>
<li>She got too old to do anything else with him.</li>
<li>My grandma says that Mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.</li>
</ol>
<p>Who’s the boss at your house?</p>
<ol>
<li>Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball.</li>
<li>Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.</li>
<li>I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.</li>
</ol>
<p>What’s the difference between moms & dads?</p>
<ol>
<li>Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.</li>
<li>Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.</li>
<li>Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause
that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend’s.</li>
<li>Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.</li>
</ol>
<p>What does your mom do in her spare time?</p>
<ol>
<li>Mothers don’t do spare time.</li>
<li>To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.</li>
</ol>
<p>What would it take to make your mom perfect?</p>
<ol>
<li>On the inside she’s already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of
plastic surgery.</li>
<li>Diet. You know, her hair. I’d diet, maybe blue.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?</p>
<ol>
<li>She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.</li>
<li>I’d make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who
did it and not me.</li>
<li>I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back
of her head.</li>
</ol>
<p>Oh my goodness, spinner, thank you for that! Laughing out loud and the dogs are looking at me like I’m crazy. :)</p>
<p>Am ever so stressed. Son at college has yet to tell me when he can come home and go back so I can book the tickets. Last year I lost out because something came up (school related) and I had guessed wrong. Have spent too much money this month already, and need to make end of year donations to some very worthy causes and ashamed that I am thinking of cutting back there. Put the lights on the tree and no one want to decorate, and every time I want to do it, we have some fight which breaks the mood. Too many unpleasant chores to do.</p>
<p>Well, now I’m in a good mood, Spinner! I laughed so much that S2, who was LOUDLY practicing piano, had to check it out. He laughed right along with me, and now I’m going to send it to all the moms I know. Thanks!!!</p>