Hustle and Bustle.....

Preparations for Christmas for me begin after Thanksgiving. We are not what you would call "social" people. We don't attend or give parties. So it should be straightforewards one would think. In fact I don't want to go to get togethers or do any of that fun stuff because I am either too busy or too tired. I used to enjoy it, years ago........pre Tristen, pre grandkids and so on. When going out, dressing up and all that was fun. Is it a natural progression or just me. Now having family for Christmas dinner is the height of "the season". Anything getting in the way of those preparations is a pain in the butt. That's not how it's supposed to be.

Husle and bustle, yes thats what it has been since Thanksgiving. I write my list of things I want to accomplish. I write what I want to give as gifts and to whom. Then I decide I better get my Christmas cards done. The overseas first. I begin that chore, it should not be a chore, but it is. I love to send them, I don't like writing them. I adore getting them myself. So I start those, that usually takes a weekend. If I am decorating I do that over the Thanksgiving weekend. I need to start the week before next year. I need to start earlier. Its like, it feels so far away before Thanksgiving and then like a snowball rolling down hill it gets closer and closer and.........I am never ready. I am organized but. I have slowed down I decided. I must have. Or time moves quicker. What are the odds?

Maybe next year I wont bake. I make cheeseballs for our neighbour and for friends. I usually make fudge. Not this year though. I am making cookies, and savoury treats to give to the kids and grandkids this year. I will use up all my baking things. Maybe then next year I will just buy the treats. Its cheaper. Do people really care? All I know is I can't any longer do it all. I enjoy doing it though so its a quandry. Still that's next year. This year I have loads to do yet. So why am I sitting here. I have one more day to finish the cleaning. My granddaughter Danielle will arrive some time on Monday. She is driving down from the U.P. I hope the weather is good, she will drive back CHristmas day, in the evening to drive 8 hours and then go straight to work at the hospital, where she is a nurse. Her room is ready. Jason will arrive Christmas Eve and his room is ready. Everyone else will show up at some point Christmas Day.

When the 3 granddaughters were young and they came up from North Carolina we would play games like "hunt the thimble" and one year even played "Hide and seek" throughout the house. What a riot that was. Maybe they will teach their kids "hunt the thimble" when they have them. Now, I like a more quiet time. Mainly adults now, except for Reina and Tristen who will be wound up like springs. Justin and his family wont be here this year. We did see them over Thanksgiving. Tristen will have a very active social life, he will be going hither and yon. Gabrielle has to work but her boyfriend Tony and Cooper will be here. Laura and Robert with Reina. They will come for dinner, that has to be early this year I was told because Danielle has to leave. Dan is working.
So...........tomorrow I finish my baking and cooking. My cards are done, my shopping is done. The cleaning is done. Tonight I am relaxing.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, I must remember to be sure to remind Tristen what we are celebrating. He got a gift certificate in the mail the other day. We took him to Walmart to spend it, on the way he said " Nanny, I don't need anything. I want to give it to the old people"..........I have no idea where that came from. Melts your heart when they say things like that. Well, we went inside and he chose his toys. When we cashed out I gave him his money and he put it in the Salvation Army pot. As it was a gift certificate I figured he may as well spend it, but also be able to do what he wanted to. It's good to encourage generosity when young. So next time we went to the store, again he put money in the pot. He asked what they do with it. So I told him that its for children who wont get toys, for people who dont have food or homes and for those who are hungry. At Christmas I will explain the wise men's gifts and why we celebrate. That makes all the hustle and bustle worth while. None of us really need "things" ..........although my granddaughter Gabby is struggling, they dont earn much and have the baby. My daughter Laura and her family are always struggling over finances. I cant say we are well off, or even doing well but we are very very blessed. I believe that what we have needs to be shared. This coming year I want to make more effort to do that.

To install in our children and their childrens children that giving really is more blessed than to recieve.....that is what makes Christmas for me and makes it all worth while.