Fully Alive…Ready to Smile

posted by erin on Dec 8

Today was the loveliness that is a day without children.  Today I started and nearly finished my Christmas shopping.  In a record 39 minutes I was in and out of Toys R Us with all but one of my girls’ gifts.  Yay me!  

I love shopping.  I love Christmas shopping.  I love Christmas shopping when I have no children to drag in and out of stores, dressing and undressing them to accomodate frigid temperatures outside and overheatedness inside.  I love Christmas shopping on a Monday when there is a more subdued, happy atmosphere in the stores because it is the people who WANT to be out shopping rather than the frantic, crazy weekend shoppers who HAVE to be there.  I love the bustle of said people in the stores and malls as they are searching for that perfect gift.  I love the sound of Christmas music playing in the background and all the decorations in the stores.  I love walking past Santa’s Village in the center of the mall, watching parents trying to convince their little ones to sit on a strange, fattish, bearded man’s lap for a picture when they don’t like pictures or strange men to begin with.  I love wandering around the bookstore, Starbucks Frappacino in hand, reveling in the merry atmosphere that bookstores seem to have at Christmas, while my wishlist grows and grows.  

I do NOT love my car’s heat not working as I drive from store to store in -30 C (-22 F) weather.  Although I DO love the new pink mittens I was forced to buy to keep my poor fingers warm while driving in such cold conditions.  I also do not love the toy department in Sears, which is in complete and utter disarray.  All other departments in the store are clean and well maintained, but the toy section…oh.my.word!!  Not a pretty sight.  In fact, it was so horrid, that I turned around and walked out.  I didn’t even spend the time browsing.  It would have been futile.  I also do not like ordering a gift for one of my girls on the same store’s website and being notified that the expected date of shipment will be March 23, 2009.  Um…right.  I think that may be just a skosh late to really be considered a Christmas present.  

I also do NOT love the thought of the impending tree redecorating awaiting me.  :(  But it must needs be done and done it shall be.  Tomorrow.  Today I am just too tired to tackle the job.  So instead I will wrap gifts…and I love wrapping gifts!  At least the tree is back in an upright position, so the presents can actually sit under it, rather than beside or adjacent to it.  The lights have yet to be detangled…a job that I have assigned to Jer, as it daunts me so.  My girls wonder if they can help with the decorating again, but I just don’t think I have the fortitude or stamina to be gracious through yet ANOTHER decorating session.  It was hard for me to let go the first time and let them lump ornaments in a mish mash fashion.  I totally took them all off and repositioned them after they were in bed.  The joys of having a mother who decorates as her job  Poor kids.  I’ve made up my mind that we will forthwith have 2 or more trees in our household from next Christmas on.  It will be for the benefit of all involved…unless of course they all decide to fall over, in which case we will ban Christmas trees altogether.  

 *Picture taken by Jer (first time using my camera)…not bad!