Counting Down

On Saturday, I picked up a copy of "Noel", Josh Groban's new Christmas cd. I love Christmas and I love Josh Groban's music, so the cd made my day. Once I got home, it occurred to me that if the stores were starting to carry Christmas merchandise, then the holidays were probably closer than I wanted to acknowledge. So I checked my calender and counted ten more weeks until Christmas.

I remember when the children were little. I could usually have the Christmas presents ready by now. Sometimes I would let them pick their own gift in the store, knowing they would forget about it before Christmas morning. But the older the kids get, the longer it seems to take me to find the perfect gift. There are always the standard things. I give the kids books every year and they usually get some pajamas. But other than that, I am stumped.

I remember Christmases when I was growing up. Our family didn't have much money, but somehow Santa Claus always left some pretty cool things under the tree. Waking up on Christmas morning seemed so magical and we were never disappointed. Now I make many of my gifts, and there are also the little things we get the kids, but I like to find one gift to put under the tree that makes their jaws drop and the magic light up their eyes. The husband and I went shopping Friday night, thinking we would get some ideas. No luck.

The oldest daughter is very frugal and her Christmas lists tend to be frugal as well. She asks for things like new socks, pads of paper, books, and other things she thinks she needs. Nothing too exciting there.The youngest daughter still gets stars in her eyes when she reads the Sears Wishbook. She lists many toys that I know look good in the pictures, but wouldn't be played with very often. She has almost grown out of the toy stage, but not quite. Then my son makes his extensive list. It mainly includes electronics that are far beyond my budget, even if I didn't think most of them were a waste of time. And then there is my husband, my step-kids, our parents, etc.

I usually have good intentions in January. But the plan to work on Christmas all year long fizzles out right around the time of my daughter's birthday in February. Now I sit in the middle of October trying to get myself into the Christmas mindset. It doesn't help that it is still so nice outside (not that I am wishing for snow quite yet.) So I guess I'll put in the new cd and get my mind focused, because I only have ten more weeks until Christmas.