Almost Finished!

I made this ornament with my husband and best friend yesterday.

I LOVE Christmas. I do as much of it as humanly possible, except for all the cookies. I don't bake and I don't need any help getting fatter. And I don't sing Christmas carols. I do Ashley Simpson lipsynching if required to participate. Nyah :P

It is November 28th, and almost all my shopping is done. I need a few stocking stuffers and another elusively cool gift for my beloved troll that has no true hobbies other than video games. (No. I do NOT buy his video games. I never get it right.) Feel free to hate me now.

I decorated my house on the 19th of November and found that I was actually LATE in certain circles. I normally send out my Christmas cards (I know what a dying tradition that truly is.) on December 1st. I've already started sending a bunch out, but since half my card-worthy friends are either American or Overseas, I've had to hustle my tuckus on that too!

No matter how far ahead I think I am, the farther behind I get! It certainly doesn't help to do the annual Santa's Anonymous shop, but we aren't dropping that from our schedule. It's too much clean fun, too important a cause.

This year we are doing our Sort-of Annual Christmas party. I mean Sort-of-Annual, because although we've done others, this will be two years in a row. And that's two days from now. I'm using recipes from Pinterest and Company's Coming books. This should be FUN! And wipe-out scary! I hope our guests don't mind being Guinea Pigs for us...

Don't worry, I get it. It's not about the food, or booze or gifts. It IS, however, about all the good smooshy feelings you get in the dead of winter. I LIKE eating and drinking with good friends. I LOVE finding the perfect gift. I like making my home look like the Christmas tree barfed all over the house...including the kitchen and bathroom. I like the special dinners and the treats. I love to wrap presents, even when Freya decides she has to kill the wrapping paper.

I like the spirit, the generosity that happens when those who have enough give to those who don't. It isn't all about the materialism. It's about JOY whatever that means to you.

Any traditions you'd like to share?