Finally Finished

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the decorations and the fellowship and the food and giving presents. I start planning my gift list in July. As my girls tell me about things that they want I write them down.

This year however, they didn't mention very many things. So I had to really think about what to get them. Eric and I finally decided on their gifts and I put that aside because it was still early and I knew some of them would go on sale. I can't mention specifics since they also read this and I don't want to ruin the surprise.

The Homeschoolers decided to have a party and we planned those gifts also, still with 'weeks' to go. Things got busy at church and I got into full December mode (it seems like this is always my craziest time of the year, which is why we take December break instead of summer break).

Next thing I know we are 3 weeks before Christmas and the decorations aren't out, the gifts aren't bought and I still had to make all of our handmade gifts and get presents in the mail.

So I got into full Christmas mode and made all of my lists (Walmart, Aldi, Sam's, Target, Michaels, Hobby Lobby). I bought some presents online because they weren't available in the store. I shopped for Tanner while the girls sat with him in the van. I shopped for the girls last night with Eric (it's good I had a list and it was short, he really doesn't like shopping). And today I finished up at Hobby Lobby and Aldi for the remainder of the items needed for the handmade gifts. Now we can put the handmade gifts together tomorrow and get them in the mail on Monday. Decorations on Tuesday and Wednesday and a day of rest on Thursday. Then I can start planning our Christmas Feast.

Even though the Holidays always seem to be full, and time is spent shopping and planning and running around, I always have an underlying feeling of peace and calm. For me that is because I know the true reason for this season is Christ. As long as that is my first thought I don't ever get so caught up in the presents that I lose the real focus of Christmas. I love giving gifts to my family and making them happy, but most of all I love knowing that we are together and we love each other and even if we had no presents we would still have a Merry Christmas.