It's Time...

It's time to be decking the halls and having all sorts of holiday fun.  I've decided tomorrow is the day for making cookies.  And I've decided we're going to have fun while we do it.  Gosh, I hope it works out like that.

The last few years... well, maybe almost as many years as I've had children around... I haven't had or made time for making cookies.  Not that I remember.  Not the kind of making cookies I really want to do.  So I'm hoping tomorrow is the day and that the girls are old enough to be helpful and young enough to enjoy it at the same time.

A few years ago in Tucson the girls and I went to a neighbor-friend's house to decorate gingerbread houses.  That was a lot of fun.  I didn't know any people there other than the hostess, and I didn't gain any new friends from the afternoon, but it really was fun while it lasted.  I'm debating trying to host something similar here this year for the girls and their friends.

I'm almost done buying gifts.  At some point in the holiday preparations I had dreams of an all homemade Christmas.  That didn't happen.  And in the last two days I spent enough time in Target and Kohls to know that it's shopping that makes me want to shop.  I walk down the aisles and want one of everything - for someone.  Then I realize that I'm just wishing for a bunch of Stuff and I can think of 2 things at least that I should have made to give that person.

Every year I pledge to start early.  Every year I fail.  And every year as soon as I feel like I'm finished shopping I see 15 more gifts I want to buy the people I love.  And then I'm glad I didn't start earlier.

We have the Christmas music going.  We've decorated inside and out.  I've been out in the crowds of people shopping.  Somehow it doesn't feel like the holidays yet.  I'm hoping we'll make so many cookies tomorrow that we can share some in Secret Santa style with friends in the neighborhood.  Maybe then the Spirit will hit me.