Not In The Mood

I don't know what it is, but I am just not in the mood to start prepping for Christmas. Scratch that...I know exactly why I'm not in the mood to prep. It's because I'm focused on all things Bay-bee and trying to finish getting things ready for her birth day.

But still, normally at this time of year, I'm baking and decorating and humming Christmas carols. And yet this year, I could not care less. I've made my baking needs shopping list, but I'm looking at it with more dread than fun-anticipation. Maybe it's because I'm also planning to bake doubles of everything so that my mom doesn't have to do as much when they get back (one week to go!!). On top of the regular baking, I have a list of lasagnas, meat loafs and cheeseburger pies I want to cook and freeze for post-bay-bee meals. Le sigh.

As for the decorating, while I know it won't be me dragging all the boxes upstairs, just the thought of decorating the upstairs makes me tired. Typically, everything non-Xmas gets put away and replaced with Xmas decor. And I mean everything. Every picture on the wall and every knick knack on the shelves and tables are swapped. And don't both suggesting that Mike can help out with the decorating...I'm too anal to let anyone else help. Things need to be packed away "just so" and the decorations get moved five or six times before I'm finally happy with their placement. I'm not sure whose head would explode first if I had to be constantly directing Mike :-)

To top things off, we don't even have a Christmas tree anymore. We chucked our old one during the Great Flood and have yet to get around buying a new one. I thought I wanted a pre-lit tree, but they don't have enough lights on them. So, if I'm going to add lights, we may as well just buy a naked tree and save that extra cash. Le another sigh.

I am happy that there is minimal shopping to be done this year...we finished Joel's shopping in about ten minutes when we found 11 Saturday Night Live discs for $5.00 each. He will be happy until at least Boxing Day with those :-) As for Colby, it will be the same old stocking stuffers (socks, toothpaste, chocolates etc.) and some cash. We've talked with our respective parents and decided "you don't buy for us, we won't buy for you". So that's it for shopping. Mike and I quit buying gifts for one another a couple years ago. We want for nothing and it saves us the headache of running around trying to find "the perfect gift".

What I am excited for is the family get togethers. We'll be at my brother's house in S'toon for the night of the 23rd...appies, supper, games and great conversation. The morning of the 24th we'll watch the boys open their gifts and have a family brunch. We'll spend the afternoon and evening with Mike's family for turkey supper and opening gifts. Christmas morning it's back to S'toon for brunch, games and turkey supper with my family. This has become my favourite part of Christmas and, as long as I have this, I don't care about the presents, baking or decorating.