he is even drinking my PERFECT glass of iced tea!!!! 
Yes. Believe it. It feels like Christmas in July as with my family tradition, we have officially begun the Christmas season. We drew names on the Fourth of July. Let the FUN begin. Anyone that knows my family, would undertand this is a HUGE undertaking. :)
So…..I would challenge each and every one of you to start thinking (and planning) now. Look at Christmas in a way you might have never done before.
We had to make a list of each of our OWN family members and what they “want” for Christmas gifts. We had about 5 minutes to complete this “list”. As I can not recall mine word for word, I am going to try to recreate it for my blog readers.
Kelli: I want something that will continue to make my life SIMPLE. I do not wish for you to spend your money on me, nor do I want you to beat the malls looking for that “perfect” gift that I might someday outgrow, loose taste in or really have no need for. I would rather you do something special WITH me and give of your time to make MEMORIES with me and for me. If you have a cherished item in your home, near and dear to your heart, that you know I might like…..you may gift it to me. I will hold it closer to my heart than any store purchased gift, as it was something YOU also loved.
Honestly this was my “list” and I could have gone on and on to explain my self, but I had 5 minutes, and a piece of scratch paper. This is not word for word, but you get my drift. Do I “need” another picture frame?? not really. Do I “need” another sweatshirt?? not really (although this IS my weakness, after I always “alter them”) LOL !!! but honestly, I would love a nice lunch date with a sister, or go to a movie with my neices, or have a homemade FAVORITE meal from a family member, or even have a sister come over and help me decorate, spend the afternoon with me and move my furniture around with me. I may eventually get rid of a picture frame purchased for me, but guaranteed I will never forget quality time spent or memories made with a loved one. Never. Those gifts are nothing short of PRICELESS.
So. In return, I also chose a name of a family member. One of the things SHE wants is “A night of free babysitting, so I can go out with my husband”. This family member has 4 children. When I showed my son, his first response, was can we PLEASE give this gift to her??? awwww…… I was very proud. Asking myself and my son. Does she need a bottle of perfume?? or a night out with her husband, to have UNinterrupted conversation and a nice meal that she did not HAVE to prepare or do the dishes afterward?? something as simple as that, is a rarity when you have 4 children under the age of 8.
I did make a suggestion to do NO gifts and instead have a jar or memories. Each person has to choose one and we get to all laugh, cry, and simply reminisce on Christmas Day about each family memory, tradition, or that specific person . Another family member suggested a 100% homemade Christmas. No need to be “crafty” to do this. You can use your special talents…..even if that means baking your favorite batch of cookies to wrap and give to someone. Everyone has a talent is SOME way.
But both our idea were more or less vetoed. {darn}. So we will all try to meet in the middle somewhere. I know what I am doing. I know what direction I am taking it and I have pretty good feeling I will get the same “gift” in return. One solely from the HEART. Maybe one that does not even require wrapping paper. I certainly hope so.
I once read that to feel a stress-free Christmas, you need to PRETEND you are going on a cruise on December 1st and returning home on December 24th. If you were to REALLY do that, you would HAVE to have everything done before you leave. It is called “cruising through the holidays”. I did it a few years ago, and it was wonderful. I “cruised” right through December. Instead of shopping / wrapping / stressing. Guess what I did??? I baked, I cooked, I entertained, I RELAXED and I enjoyed the season 110% !!!!!!! I had everything else DONE already.
Think about it soon. It is right around the corner.
