2_girls_mommy Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 My family's get together is the 21st. I still have to buy something for the sister that I drew. I got her a sweater, but I am way under the limit. And I have no idea what to add. I wish I had just bought her two sweaters! I don't have to cook for it, just shop for sodas and snacks. I wonder if I can find something at the grocery store for that present. 🙂 I made my grocery list. We are having appetizers on Christmas Eve and a roast on Christmas Day with a few sides. Even though I am putting potatoes in with the roast, my kids would revolt if no mashed potatoes were served, so I'll do mashed potatoes and gravy, a salad, and rolls. The hardest thing will be desserts. I am going to make a huge apple pie in a cake pan the day before and Christmas cookies of course. But I still have to do the actual shopping. So I have a big shopping trip in my future. But cooking is minimal. Keeping that simple. I have some wrapping to do. And I would like to clean, but that makes me laugh. Just keeping up behind the tornado of a five year old and keeping up with basic dishes and laundry is all I have the energy for. So most of what I really want to do is fun crafts with her. She did the gingerbread house today. I still want to make cinnamon dough ornaments and some of those clear plastic bulb ornaments. I spent time on pinterest and got the cute supplies for those already. We need to make and address cards to take to church this weekend or else it is too late! And my teens need to go through my gifty stuff and pick out some things for their teen night gift exchange this weekend. I keep things on hand for those types of things. dd5 needs to make cards for her sunday school teachers. We did finally go see Santa yesterday during the day before the PS kids are out. So there was no line there thankfully. I also took dd5 to the Dollar Tree. She had money, and she wanted to buy gifts for everyone. It was really funny seeing what she picked out for all of us. 🙂 But she was adamant and quick about her choices, so I am not complaining. She had been planning that trip for awhile. So bring it on. We're about as ready as we are going to be after my shopping trip tomorrow. Most presents just get wrapped the day they are needed. I am sure I'll be up late Christmas Eve, but the goal is to get up in the mornings and do a few each day before the kids are up. I skipped today, but got started yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 30 minutes ago, whitehawk said: Our tree is up & DS is covered, but I need to buy stuff TODAY to ship to out-of-state family members. I've been saying TODAY for three or four days now. I hate that other stuff doesn't wind down until it's too late to start this task. I hear you. We STILL have multiple activities and Christmas parties this week. I am just flat saying no to two. Well, the girls said no to one of theirs, and I am saying no to one of mine. We have had multiple extra activities with everything we are involved in. I am so tired of celebrating. 🙂 I haven't gotten to watch one Christmas movie yet. I haven't been home long enough on the weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 So here’s the thing. I hate how our culture celebrates Christmas. It’s this crazy whirlwind of activity as soon as Thanksgiving is over, leaving folks with little time to prepare for actual CHRISTMAS. Everyone wants to do a party or dinner or gift exchange or concert or parade or carol sing before everyone is already booked or out of town. And then there’s this lull that begins sometime around the 15th. Moms are exhausted but not ready to celebrate Christmas with their families. We have to conjure up a second wind. Meanwhile, kids have not much left to do. Im not sure how I wish things were different. I maybe wish people would not worry about who’s here and who’s out of town. Celebrate with who’s here. The others will come back. Stop with the obligatory gift giving to coaches, Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, pastors, mailmen, co-op teachers, hairdressers, etc, etc. or if you do, be discrete so that those of us who come empty handed don’t want to crawl in a hole. Im not ready. I’m still needing a gift for my youngest. I’m still stumped. Relatives are still asking what to order for me and the kids. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 5 hours ago, KungFuPanda said: Do you have a bare wall? I can't get to my Christmas stuff.....it is buried. That is beautiful though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) I am not in denial - I am fully aware that I won't kill myself Christmassing this year. I have not started anything. The tree is in the garage. In good German tradition, it will go up on the 24th. The kids will come that day and may want to help decorate. I am not decorating the house this year. I pulled out seasonal place mats, towels and potholders, the seasonal cookie jar and serving platter - done. I am not baking this year. Perhaps over Christmas when DD is home. Minimal presents. Nobody needs stuff. What presents there are will be put in reusable fabric bags. No wrapping, no waste. I am doing TWO activities this season: sing the Messiah with my choir, and attend my friend's annual ugly sweater party. That's it. I donated to a local charity by writing them a check. Much more efficient if they can purchase what is needed. Christmas day we will cook together and have invited a family of friends to join us. Edited December 17, 2019 by regentrude 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 1 hour ago, SamanthaCarter said: So here’s the thing. I hate how our culture celebrates Christmas. It’s this crazy whirlwind of activity as soon as Thanksgiving is over, leaving folks with little time to prepare for actual CHRISTMAS. Everyone wants to do a party or dinner or gift exchange or concert or parade or carol sing before everyone is already booked or out of town. And then there’s this lull that begins sometime around the 15th. Moms are exhausted but not ready to celebrate Christmas with their families. We have to conjure up a second wind. Meanwhile, kids have not much left to do. Im not sure how I wish things were different. I maybe wish people would not worry about who’s here and who’s out of town. Celebrate with who’s here. The others will come back. Stop with the obligatory gift giving to coaches, Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, pastors, mailmen, co-op teachers, hairdressers, etc, etc. or if you do, be discrete so that those of us who come empty handed don’t want to crawl in a hole. Im not ready. I’m still needing a gift for my youngest. I’m still stumped. Relatives are still asking what to order for me and the kids. I was thinking about this today, after an encounter with a rather aggressive Salvation Army bell-ringer. I am very aware of all the demands on my time, mental space, and wallet this year. It's probably the same level of demand as other years, but it's really bugging me this year for some reason. Probably because relatives were in my ear about Christmas a few days after Halloween. I like a slow build up to Christmas, and I feel like I've been nagged since November 1. All of my elder relatives have big feelings and opinions about Christmas, and I'm feeling cranky about that. Like, you're 68 years old. I'll do my best to make sure you feel included and remembered, but I can't handle you tantruming like a child because you want someone to make sure you have a very special Christmas with just the right gift. We skipped most of the holiday events in town this December. They happened too early and seemed to be of low quality. Just a whole lot of rushing around to get some watery cocoa and a cheap candy cane. We don't give gifts to teachers, coaches, etc. I don't think I ever gave more than a card when I was in school. The social pressure seems to be that if you don't give everyone a Very Special and Thoughtful Gift, it means you don't appreciate them. I appreciate the art teacher. That's why I pay her every week, lol! I appreciate our mail carrier. That's why I say "Thank you!" when she brings packages to my door. I feel like I sometimes receive half-baked "social pressure" type gifts from people I am not close to. I'd rather they skip that. The older I get, the more I feel like "less is more". Or maybe I'm just getting grinchy, lol. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 I want to announce that I finally pulled it together and put the Christmas tree up last night. (Yes, on December 22nd.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlktwins Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 I am still behind. Boys’ tree was done last weekend (I think it was last weekend Lol). Just getting ready to decorate my tree 😩. Finished baking yesterday and need to make cookie gift containers for family. Have not wrapped. All grocery shopping is done. Need to clean the kitchen, bathrooms, and floors today (DH helps with that) for hosting Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow. Lots of cooking tomorrow morning. Church tomorrow night, make our egg soufflé and prep for monkey bread. Christmas Day should be fun and relaxing with just the 4 of us. Need to buy some champagne for Christmas morning mimosas 😁. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 4 minutes ago, mlktwins said: I am still behind. Boys’ tree was done last weekend (I think it was last weekend Lol). Just getting ready to decorate my tree 😩. Finished baking yesterday and need to make cookie gift containers for family. Have not wrapped. All grocery shopping is done. Need to clean the kitchen, bathrooms, and floors today (DH helps with that) for hosting Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow. Lots of cooking tomorrow morning. Church tomorrow night, make our egg soufflé and prep for monkey bread. Christmas Day should be fun and relaxing with just the 4 of us. Need to buy some champagne for Christmas morning mimosas 😁. I've got the champagne covered! Maybe I'll just go make a mimosa now. If I have it Christmas morning I won't be able to stay awake. No wrapping is done. We've done a little baking. I need to shovel out DS's room so it will be ready when he arrives on Christmas morning. As for cleaning, let's just say it's not going to be a Martha Stewart Christmas around here. I was already behind just from life and my usual holiday denial. But then dd got food poisoning the week before finals, so I spent last weekend in her college town helping her through it. She's recovered but I was so exhausted Saturday that I could hardly move. Now I'd best get crackin'! Wishing all of my fellow Hive deniers, holiday slackers, and fallen behinders for whatever the reasons a very productive day. Stay strong! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 Ha! Procrastineering For The Win! Yesterday we got an out-of-the-blue (never happened before) invitation to DD's BF's parents home for Christmas dinner. I was planning to do roast beef, but haven't gotten around to buying the meat yet. They're making roast beef and a few lasagnas AND we can just walk there because they live so close. We've known them for years, but have never done anything like this because our kids were just high school sweethearts. DD is about to graduate college and they're still a thing, so it might be time to admit that they're a long-term item. 🤣 I'm in charge of potatoes because DD is notoriously picky about potatoes and they do instant. I'll do a few breads and a dessert too. Um, I might drive so I'm not carrying a crockpot down the block. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Now we will be in denial that we have to undo Christmas around the house! Maybe I’ll work on that next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 1 minute ago, school17777 said: Now we will be in denial that we have to undo Christmas around the house! Maybe I’ll work on that next week. Hush. I have 12 days of Christmas before I even have to think about that. And heck, I only finished the tree 4 days ago! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martha in GA Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 7 hours ago, school17777 said: Now we will be in denial that we have to undo Christmas around the house! Maybe I’ll work on that next week. My stuff is all put away! Helps that I didn't take out very much, and my adult daughter didn't want to go to a tank museum with the rest of the family, so she stayed behind and put it all away for me! I'll miss her when she leaves on Sunday. She also organized my closet. She offered to organize my pictures, but I don't think that will happen this trip. I'm not sure where she got her cleaning/organizing gene, but I'm more than happy to take advantage of it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 On 12/27/2019 at 6:52 PM, Margaret in CO said: You all can commiserate with me--we're just NOW doing Christmas! I have just one more kid to arrive--with military and music, we're celebrating tomorrow. The kids just got the tree and the village is already up. I'm staying away for now as dh makes a big fuss and I've already worked my tail off today. At least all the pies (7) are made. Most everything is wrapped and what is not, is not my problem. Tomorrow is going to be complete chaos. I plan on dumping a lot of all these adult children who are hanging around... How did it go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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