<p>“Embrace mediocrity…Viva la revolucion!”</p>
<p>The key to Christmas happiness.</p>
<p>Not a single tiny lightbulb on the bushes or trees in my yard! My lame excuse is that we are going green and saving energy. 
The presents are stuck somewhere under 2 feet of snow on the East Coast (no wonder B&H offers free next day shipping), the house is a wreck, but… I found that Top Foods now sells custrad powder, which means… we are going to have Nanaimo bars!!! I did cut some Douglas fir and cedar branches and made some floral arrangements out of them and a bunch of carnations I bought at Costco.</p>
<p>I really don’t know where to begin! Years ago when the kids were small. H would take three personal days(he gets 5/y)before TG, and the weeks after TG off. It was wonderful. He did all the Christmas shopping and we got all the inside/outside decorations up. They are now 20/28 years old. One lives overseas, the other is in college, doind 2 study abroads, so only here for a short time.
This will be the first year the older can’t be home, and the younger leaves 12/29 for 7 months. I think we are depressed, because the entire time H was home, absolutely nothing got done re:decorations, and they aren’t going to happen. H did shop through National Geographic, but bought all sorts of things that I told him I knew D wouldn’t like. I thought D might like a Kindle, but she said “no, I like to touch the pages, and the batteries in a book never die.” H said he got her one anyhow.???</p>
<p>And, this isn’t the first time w/the NG purchasing. I have three sweaters I don’t dare wear in public from 10 years ago that my kids say are “grandma sweaters”.</p>
<p>When it comes to Christmas, at least this year, I feel as though we are a dysfunctional family.</p>
<p>I found that Top Foods now sells custrad powder, which means… we are going to have Nanaimo bars!!!</p>
<p>Watch it, the sugar rush from the Nanaimo bars combined with Christmas stress may lead to unforeseen consequences!!!</p>
<p>Snow (18.5 inches) has made me feel downright serene about Christmas. We’ve already sent the few out-of-town gifts we give. I haven’t finished my H and S shopping, but surely I’ll be able to get out during the week. </p>
<p>What’s everyone’s experience with gifts of charitable contributions? I need help. That’s what I am giving the 10 nieces/nephews (ages 18-39, with one 12-year-old) this year. I picked out an organization for each of them that matches their interests (sports, arts, reading, etc.). We see four of them on Christmas, and the rest we’ve only given gifts to in years when we see them. </p>
<p>I felt so good about it until I talked to my brother, who joked about what long Christmas lists his kids have. Those are the ones I was afraid wouldn’t “get” or like our gift–and they’ll open it in front of us. Now I’m really paranoid. I did tell him about it. This is the part of Christmas I really do NOT like–focusing on people’s expectations. Ugh.</p>
<p>geezermom–maybe give the kids a token something to go along with the charitable donation…a pair of socks, art supplies…something small that would be a silly gift by itself, but remind the user of your donation in their name.</p>
<p>My pet peeve this time of year is trying to run small errands but getting stuck in impossible traffic. The time and gas wasted all over this country this time of year is unbelievable!</p>
<p>You should all scale back, stay home, and let me get my milk and bread in peace. ;)</p>
<p>“run small errands but getting stuck in impossible traffic”</p>
<p>I went shopping yesterday for the big meal. (Which I have seriously pared down from previous years.) Five different stores…WHADAYA MEAN YA DONT HAVE ANY ALMOND PASTE!!! Finally went to the car, went online, and discovered almond paste is just ground almonds and sugar. Never again.</p>
<p>Right. Try finding Gruyere anywhere with in 2 weeks of Jan 1. Everybody’s New Year’s Eve fondue is interfering with my New Year’s Breakfast oven omelet, which I serve at midnight! (I stocked up this year)</p>
<p>Went to the mall yesterday, deliberately :eek: as D2 wants leather gloves and D3 was going to try them on (both with skinny fingers) BIG mistake. The glorious fun displays I saw a week ago are down to a few remaining pairs with all accessory buttons etc torn off, the stores were full. We also looked and tried on certain things at Macy’s and planned to buy them if the right one was found- D3’s size was not available in any cute boots and the coat selection was also lacking, though we confirmed the size for online ordering, so I guess that was productive.</p>
<p>We parked in an empty upper overlflow lot thinking to avoid getting stuck in traffic, HA! Leaving the traffic from the exit was all the way past our lot entrance, at least a mile and a half from the intersection, solid lined up lights!!</p>
<p>^^^I guess there is at least one “advantage” to living in an economically depressed area (Michigan). There are no lines like that at our malls!</p>
<p>Mafool, I live near the Canadian border and find more than half the shoppers to be Canadians enjoying the exchange rate strength- do you not get that in MI?</p>
<p>I live in MI also. My D and I went to the mall yesterday and were both surprised by how it was not very busy.</p>
<p>But she needs a winter coat and I could not believe how few coats in her size were left. I looked a couple of weeks ago and the supplies are very limited. We finally found one but I think she found 3 that actually fit.</p>
<p>^^Why are they always out of your size?</p>
<p>Displays full of products, every one in a too-large or too-small size. Bah.</p>
<p>Nothing baked. MANY presents still left to buy. Only decorations: tree and house lights that hubby put up. </p>
<p>Combination of broke (just paid housing for 2 for spring - OUCH!!!) and exhausted (school district BROKE and balancing budget on backs of teachers by making everyone teach an extra class this year - 30 more students, more tests to grade, no more $$$). </p>
<p>But boys are all home, and heading out in a few for must-buy gifts. Will bake and shop tomorrow. I have always shopped on Christmas Eve. I love it. I always smile and am extra patient with shoppers and workers. Puts me in the spirit. And we’ll go to church. Last year we almost didn’t go - (see exhausted, above). But at the last minute we pulled it together, and miraculously, just like in the Dr. Seuss story, Christmas came. So tomorrow at 8:00, we’ll be there, candles in hand.</p>
<p>Blessings to all of you.</p>
<p>somemom, my little spot in Michigan is not near the border. We are on Lake Michigan.</p>
<p>Blessings to you, too, mom2three, and to all caring, hardworking teachers.</p>
<p>This year, H&I have to work till the last day 24th so we barely had anytime for Xmas shopping. Last night we went out very late(for us anyway) to get D2 a big gift. I also managed to get a small gift to everyone in my family at Barnes and Nobles.</p>
<p>Columbia - I finally joined the 21st Century and did almost all of my shopping online! Big kudos to Zappos and B&H for shipping the stuff to me overnight and not charging an extra penny for that! Costco’s home delivery got a somewhat mixed review from me because I got the trackig numbers only after the UPS guy left the stuff on my porch. Amazon lost to B&N - the latter did not charge me for shipping AND did not backorder anything. I’m all set!</p>
<p>BB, I did a lot of shopping online too. But this particular gift has to be done in person for fit because I’m not one who likes to stand in the return line.</p>
<p>Just want to let you all know I’ve been with you in spirit even though I hadn’t posted on this thread. I’m a big, big fan of Christmas, but this year I just let it get away from me.</p>
<p>It’s after 9 pm on the 23rd, and I have not wrapped a single present yet. Only some of the usual decorations up, house is semi-clean (and semi-not), a few cards are out. But, I’ve been baking tonight, and am woozie from cookie dough, and a little wine. The Pogues’ Fairy Tale of New York is playing for about the fifteenth time. It’s all good.</p>
<p>Boy, are the elves going to be busy tomorrow.</p>
<p>Happy Christmas eve eve to all the procrastinators.:)</p>