12/15/2006
Holiday Hoopla

So, like pretty much everyone I know, I've been eyeball-deep in holiday preparations. Last year was the Holiday To End All Holidays and - haha - it pretty much did end all holidays. It did not end well. So this year, still recovering from last, I've been slow to ramp up and get in the spirit.

When you have seven kids to shop for, Christmas is a full time job. I like to shop. A lot. And I love to give gifts. A lot lot. And it is one of two days a year my kids are totally spoiled and I think they have earned it. Or I have earned it. One of the two. So in order to maximize the dollar, Christmas requires a lot of pre-planning and frugality. Well, at least it does for me.

There are gift lists to collect, Santa wishes to nail down (hint: the earlier you take them to see Santa, the earlier you can firm up that one special wish and simply say "Sorry, you already told Santa what you wanted, no changing your mind now!!), purchases to bargain-shop for, online and off. Then there is tracking the packages, keeping tabs on what comes in and what still needs to be purchased. I feel like a warehouse. Plus throw in our annual traditions and the occasional insane desire to start a new one and it makes for a jam-packed couple of months.

So in the spirit of the holidays, share with me (either on your own blog or in my comments) a few things:

  • What is the one holiday ritual you would absolutely never give up?

  • What is the part of the holidays you find the most tedious and exhausting?

  • What is the worst or weirdest gift you have ever received?

  • What is the most memorable gift you have ever received?

  • What is the one thing you do to make organizing your holiday a little bit easier?

  • If you could make one holiday wish, this year, what would it be?


My answers are coming tomorrow :-)
posted by Stepping On Legos at 12/15/2006§


Comments:
# What is the one holiday ritual you would absolutely never give up?
Getting the tree. Matt and Diesel, and Matt's dad, have been getting the tree at the same cut-your-own lot for the last 4 years. I love that they have that tradition.

# What is the part of the holidays you find the most tedious and exhausting?
Decorating. I don't do it. The tree is the only thing we have in our house that's Christmas.

# What is the worst or weirdest gift you have ever received?
We did a White Elephant last night and I got a Santa wall-hanging that says "Be naughty, Save me some time." I love it but it's the weirdest thing I've gotten in a while.

# What is the most memorable gift you have ever received?
I'm not sure.....

# What is the one thing you do to make organizing your holiday a little bit easier?
Make as few plans as absolutely needed. :-)

# If you could make one holiday wish, this year, what would it be?
That things go smoothly. And that Kinhly's first "American" Christmas is memorable.
 
What is the one holiday ritual you would absolutely never give up?

Daddy strings the lights on the tree, and mommy and baby decorate the tree. My mom and I used to decorate the tree ourselves too. It was my favorite part of xmas.


What is the part of the holidays you find the most tedious and exhausting?

Any shopping done after Thanksgiving. We try very very hard to not have to shop after Thanksgiving. All three of us hate crowds of people.


What is the worst or weirdest gift you have ever received?

Pajamas. For some reason, every year in high school, I had some cousins that would get me the oddest looking pajamas. Every year.


What is the most memorable gift you have ever received?

The only xmas I ever spent with my sister was when I was 7. My sister got me those bracelet bangle things (from the 80's where we wore a thousand of them on one arm). I loved those bracelets (because my sister got them for me, but I didn't connect those two concepts together until I was much older), and I wore them all the time.


What is the one thing you do to make organizing your holiday a little bit easier?

Lists. I have several lists of different things that need to get done. Including lists that describe the details I need to complete to do things on other lists.


If you could make one holiday wish, this year, what would it be?

I wish I could be with my sister this xmas. I've been trying to get this done for years and haven't been able to yet. It would be the second xmas I ever spent with her.
 
Great topic, I'll head over to my blog and try to encourage others to participate as well. Could use some holiday cheer about now.
 
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