What do you have left..

to get ready for Christmas? Shopping, wrapping, cooking? Staying home this year or traveling? I haven't wrapped a thing yet and the stuff I've bought is scattered around several places. (Of course here I sit playing catch up on the boards from the last couple days ) My kids are just too good at peeking. I will be doing some cooking, as in years past, I've invited my family and hubby's family for Christmas Eve dinner. I'm looking forward to it. Linda

Oh, I just have everything left to do ... no stress here!!! Actually, Christmas in our home is pretty much stress free. We usually spend Christmas Eve at hubby's mamas home with the rest of the family. We share dinner and enjoy each others company. After dinner, we head out as a family to the first Christmas Eve service. It is wonderful to share that with all the family. After the first service, generally we go back to MIL's. I plan to have mulled cider and home-baked cookies ready this year. After that, we go home, read The Night Before Christmas, pray and put the babies to bed. Sometimes MIL watches the babies and I get to go to midnight candlelight service with hubby. Real nice ... especially when it snows!!! For me there is something so special about that service ... it is so peaceful outside and in. The hush, the moonlight, the candlelight and the sparkle in hubby's eye ... ummmmmm .... I just love it!!! Like a child full of anticipation awaiting their birthday or Christmas. We so enjoy this time together. Christmas day is spent at our home. We read the Christmas Story ... have a nice easy breakfast. The children generally have a couple of presents to open. I am going to digress a bit here ... a couple of years ago, we wanted to have a "big" Christmas for our newest child. MIL wanted everyone to open gifts at her home. So we bought him quite a few presents. When it came time to open them, he savored each present ... opening it with great care. Doing his best to fold the paper and place in nicely on the table. After his first present was open, he wanted to play with the toy. Never even considered that there may be another present with his name upon it. Unlike the other children. They tore through the presents asking "What else? WHAT ELSE?" Barely noticing the present just opened. You know, our little guy ended up opening 2 or 3 presents that year I believe and so enjoyed each one of them. We took the rest of the wrapped presents home and ended up using them for the next several gift giving occasions. We all learned such a valuable lesson that year. It was our sweet precious 2 year old that taught all of us adults the value of one gift. This is a lesson that we have all taken to heart since then. "A child shall lead them." Presents are secondary while spending time together takes precedence. Anyway, we have a nice dinner together ... get the children dressed for bed then go out and marvel at all the lights. My children especially get excited when they see a Nativity. The baby always calls out ... That's JESUS!!! It is so precious! During our outing ... we all share in our favorite Christmas Carols. In our home, in a place of honor, we have a life sized manger to help us remember the reason we celebrate this Holy day. If any presents come into the home, or get wrapped to go out of the home, they are placed in the manger to help remind us that they are secondary ... and to help us always keep foremost in our minds the One True Gift and our reason for celebration. For those that share in the honor of this day, I pray you and yours have a very blessed Holy day, a very blessed "Christ" - mas. May God Bless each of you abundantly! Hugs, Tammy

Hi Tammy, Sounds like a very peaceful, happy holiday. Linda

Starting to get things together now....We buy for nieces and nephews which seem to multiply each year! Its fun to give them gifts and watch their faces....I do have one little one that likes to just keep getting gifts! Is there more? she asks! We do our gift exchange with the kids Christmas Eve. That way we don't compete with Santa aka the big gift guy! On Christmas day we are traveling with my Mom out west for a week of sun and fun (hopefully). That is our Christmas gift to ourselves. This will be the first Christmas we will be away. I hope it will be a fun week.

Hi Debbie, oooo going west. I'm very jealous! I'd love to travel that way and see what I can see. Hiking in the Rockies is definitely on my list of things to do in this life. Wishing you lots of good weather and a safe trip. Linda

Hi Linda, Love Christmas time... Just finished baking brownies which I will take down to the Ronald McDonald House tomorrow. Not even tempted to taste although they do have a good aroma. Not many surprises this year. My wife and I decided to downsize to a queen size bedk this year, so we're getting a new bedroom suite this year. First time we have ever bought a bedroom set, ususally we use hand-me-downs, but after 22 years of marriage we decided it was time to pretend that we are adults. And who needs a king-size anymore? By the way this is the first time in twenty plus years that no one has asked me to play Santa. I'm still jolly, but I guess I'm missing the bulk. We'll spend Christmas at home in the morning. Go to my mother's later in the day, and to my in-laws on Sunday. It's fun to get together with the relatives. I'm planning on doing a 40-mile bike ride Christmas morning since all the gyms are closed and there won't be much traffic. Happy Holidays everyone! Lifetime buddies, Rob

Now there's a wls christmas goal! -- Not being expected to play Santa!. Dianne

Hey Rob ... hubby and I were just talking about our queen bed last week also. We have always had a queen size bed ... and us combined were really more than a king size pair. But now with mine and hubby's loss ... we find that the queen is more than adequate. More room than we need!!! As a matter of fact ... there is plenty of room for the kiddies to jump in and join us early Saturday mornings. OH boy!!! Isn't it wonderful ... things we never considered change for the better!!! Gotta love this new life!!! Enjoy being a grown up ... ironic when you think about it though ... smaller than you have ever been and now you are "growing up"!!! Just a little side note ... hubby picked me up the other day ... I was horrified that he would try to pick up so much weight ... he laughed and said "So much? You gotta be kidding!!!" First time ever since we have been married. I refused to allow him to carry me over the threshold for fear of killing him on our honeymoon!!! Gotta love ALL the new perks eh? Hugs, Tammy

I got my cards out this morning. Zsa Zsa, my dog and I walked to the mail box and placed them in for the mailman. My presents are all bought. I am going really simple this year. I want to focus on the real reason of the Christmas season and not get overwhelmed like I do each year over buying and getting myself in financial trouble. My Mom's 70th birthday celebration is all set for 12/21 at Michaels Restaurant. (My first meal out while I am still on pureed foods. I sure hope they have some soup that I will like. I am going to bring a flavored unjury drink or some hot chocolate mix just to be on the safe side.) Not sure yet if I am doing any baking or chocolate making. My daughter, Michelle wants to eat healthy. Last year, I ate most of the goodies. So unless anyone asks I probably won't do any fattening goodie making. I do want to make the unjury pumpkin pudding. I am so thankful that I had my surgery before Christmas. Still not sure if we are spending the day at home or at my sister's house. Everything is still in the air. Happy holidays everyone. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His loving arms. Rose

I'm plugging along. The kids and I are looking for ways to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. We plan to visit a nursing home, visit some elders in the "hood" that don't see family. My one son suggested taking some blankets to the homeless. We also have family gatherings that are nice. Christmas day after all the traditional stuff and then some new ideas, I'd like to go and see "Fat Albert" Ho Ho Ho and Hey Hey Hey. Don't really plan to do much baking. Downsized all the hubba hubba since the kids are getting older and not so much shopping and wrapping to do. I think I'll go over my daughter's for when my grandchild wakes up on Christmas morning and share in their joy. Happy Holiday Season to all, Dianne