Apparently it’s only a month and some until Christmas. I only know this because every store I go into seems to be festooned in red and green and some of them even have the audacity to play Christmas songs.

Please, if you have to listen to that crap, don’t play them until after Thanksgiving. At least. Thanks.

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I love the actual day… waking up with the kids, dinner at my parents with the family. Its cozy and warm and fun… and a really good excuse to make shortbread. Its just everything else… all the shopping, the cards, the crazy lists and hoping you aren’t pissing anyone off. That stuff, I could do without.

This year, we need to keep it simple. We already know what we are getting the kids, one “big” present each and a stocking. We probably won’t be getting anything for ourselves or each other. I’m going to make tea/coffee and cookie baskets for everyone in lieu of gifts and some soap sets for the kiddos. (Surprise!) Other than that, I want to keep things calm and quiet… except there is also a part of me that stomps her feet and insists on grandiose schemes, hours of work and handmade everything. Mmmmhmmm. Not this year.

Still. I do love the holidays. I just don’t like what it does to my bank account!