Status Christmas: Full Swing

The closer Christmas gets, the more excited I’m becoming! Part of me feels guilty about that because so many seem to be suffering this year. There’s so much bad news floating around Facebook and in our lives in general. People falling ill, friends losing jobs, families struggling to make ends meet before even considering gifts for their children. It’s just sad. Ryan and I don’t have much for the girls nor each other either, but I’m still so happy this Christmas. We have our family together, we have so much to be thankful for, and while money is always tight, we are somehow, someway still keeping the lights on and able to afford some small but meaningful and fun gifts for our family and friends. I can’t be sad about that.

Last Friday was our Christmas for Ryan’s side of the family, which was a blast. The girls made it all the way until 6:30 pm and were done. They didn’t even get to wear their Christmas dresses. I made my favorite Christmas cookies, wrapped up our ridiculous white elephant gifts, and piled everyone into the sled to make our way to grandma’s house. If I think about it, and I do, Peanut really is a glorified sled, but we took my mom’s car this time since she was joining us. I don’t have pictures of our White Elephant gifts, but I can tell you there were a lot of country snowmen ornaments involved, and one Waterford Crystal “Our First Christmas 2000” ornament that went to the right people. I still don’t remember why I had that ornament, I think it was my high school sweetheart’s and mine. I wrapped it in saran wrap, then foil, then a grocery bag, and finally an old Christmas gift bag I had lying around. We were supposed to wrap everything in recycleable and/or reusable materials. Somehow I doubt that the saran wrap or foil will be used for anything other than trash bag filler.

We received an “A Christmas Story”-esque leg, adorned with a purple shiny shoe from someone’s prom circa 1984, a bunch of snowman trinkets that I will begrudgingly be dusting this year because they are in my kitchen holding down a shelf, and about seven pairs of slippers. Two pair fit me; some scary frog slippers and these:

Pink Bunny Slippers! *perfect* for me!

I think it’s safe to say that our Christmas haul was “A Christmas Story” themed. No gun though, which is such a shame. Ryan stored the leg in our closet and is hell bent on making a lamp out of the thing for next year’s White Elephant exchange. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those gifts that keeps on giving. We did receive some cool stuff though, unexpectedly! I didn’t know there were *real* gifts being exchanged! My bathroom is now happily decorated for Christmas with snowflake towels and this hilarious snowman nightlight, and the girls have money to add to their savings!

I wish I had a picture of all of the food though. Ryan’s uncle made pizza from scratch, which was divine, and there were cookies all over the place. Here were my contributions:

Grandma's Shortbread (similar to pecan sandies)

Cream Wafers (my friend's grandmother's recipe... delicious!)

I went to Santa’s Workshop yesterday (aka the post office) and delivered the rest of my out of town packages. I want to show you SO badly what I made, but I can’t. Next week though! I’m making one for me, too. Today, I’m finishing up my last three gifts and will hopefully receive my Amazon order so I can finish wrapping. (Okay, stuffing gifts into bags and arranging tissue paper, whatever.) I also have to finish Christmas cards and order some more pictures of the girls for our technologically challenged older relatives. Christmas is taking over my To Do List and I love it!

Two unexciting things about Christmas:

1. No Snow, Dense Fog.

That is one ugly view without snow...

2. Not that any judges will actually be working but,

Seriously? The week after Christmas??

How are your holidays shaping up?

P.S. I didn’t win the bed nor make it into the finals. Now I have the sads.