Christmas In September

I've decided to start shopping early for Christmas this year.

I'm not, and I repeat, not going to get all caught up in the hype and the panic of the holidays and work and work and end up buying whatever I can for whatever the price at the very end because I haven't done anything. No way. I've decided to make a schedule for the coming weeks and pick up at least two things per week for my family. I think it would be nice to be "done" by early November.

Here's the thing. The internet has changed the way we shop. Every week I get 10-20 emails touting sales, 20-30% off offers clutter my email inbox, so much so that I hardly look at them anymore. So I've decided to start looking at the deals offered and start plugging away at the big old Xmas list now.

This is all good in theory, I just hope I can really stay true to my plan. Have you ever finished your Christmas shopping early, like super early? I'd love to know how you did it.

A Boy And His Toys

We all know how little boys love their toys! Especially on Christmas morning, the joy of toys at Christmas is like no other. This post is about another kind of boy, although not little, both share the same excitement when presented with their toys.

I'm talking about My Guy.

He just re-did our garage. Yup, our garage, and you should see his peacock strut whenever he enters into his newly pimped out garage. Now, I'll admit, it looks great! Tools and sports equipment now have a newly designated place of their own, neatly displayed for easy access and even the trash bins look better, with their own space. But he didn't stop there. He added a heating system and painted floors and I swear, the man would add a  great big flat screen if I let him. He's like a kid at Christmas with everything in its place and a place for everything.

It's totally adorable.

Driving the car into the new garage is like a new adventure  too and sometimes I feel like, when the weather is bad and the car is all dirty and wet, like I'm doing something I shouldn't be. We have an extra fridge out there and it's much more pleasant to walk out to a warmer garage to get the milk. I got to thinking, was it really that easy? Was it a tiny change like a newly appointed garage that could make him so happy? All of us a little bit happier? Life a wee bit better?

I guess so.

And with all of that new fangled garage paraphernalia out there, I'm happier because he just made some of my X-Mas shopping a bit easier.

This Is Me If I were Santa

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for is annual trip, but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked, and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great Christmas tree.

The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"

Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

http://www.dancentury.com/xmas.html#.UL9vHOTLSf4