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The Holidays are officially here! And so is the season of the big butt, the headache, the empty bank account, and precious times with family and friends!
The kids had a week off from school this week, so for the most part, I laid low. If it kills me, I always get my Christmas letter and picture pulled together for mailing on the day after Thanksgiving. Self-imposed drudgery, I know, but that pretty much sums me up. So I worked on that. I got my Book Blogger Holiday Swap gift mailed out as well. Shopping? No. All week I looked at my Christmas lists and stuck my tongue out at it. Blug. Can't start shopping until after Thanksgiving. I was completely unmotivated.
For turkey day, the Nawrots went over to my BFF's house. I brought the turkey and Dawn's eat-it-out-of-the-pan-its-so-good Cranberry Salad. And we ate, and drank, and ate, and drank. At the end of the meal, I quietly excused myself from the table and went into the living room where I could lay flat. Otherwise I would have exploded.
The day after turkey day, I made my husband mail the Xmas cards, and I stayed home and cleaned the house. No way in Hades I was going to get mixed up in the chaos at the malls (one of our malls opened at MIDNIGHT!). I did some online shopping though. And on Saturday, my daughter and I hit the trail. I made a pretty significant dent on the prezzies. Today, we decorate! Funny, I think the rest of the family is hiding from me...
Whenever I'm home with the kids, I never feel very productive with my reading. I did finish my next Babes, Books and Bordeaux read, "Cane River", on audio. Then I started "The Book Thief" on audio for the Heathrow Literary Society. (I'm going to cry at the end of this one, aren't I? Just wanted to be forewarned.)
And I finished Sarah Waters' "Affinity"!!!! Oh, I could just melt into a puddle. I did not want that one to end! If only I could just lay down and sleep in her words. I started the graphic novel "Laika" in various tub soakings (I'm going to cry in this one too, aren't I?), and also started "The Lotus Eaters" for a blog tour in December. This will complete my Vietnam Challenge right at the finish line!
So have the Holidays kicked in for all of you? Do you love this time of year, or do you get stressed out, or a little of both? How about your reading? Does it suffer or do you kick into high gear? Whatever the case, hope this post finds you all healthy and happy. I've not been the best visitor lately, but I'm hoping I will get back into the groove next week. See you then!
The kids had a week off from school this week, so for the most part, I laid low. If it kills me, I always get my Christmas letter and picture pulled together for mailing on the day after Thanksgiving. Self-imposed drudgery, I know, but that pretty much sums me up. So I worked on that. I got my Book Blogger Holiday Swap gift mailed out as well. Shopping? No. All week I looked at my Christmas lists and stuck my tongue out at it. Blug. Can't start shopping until after Thanksgiving. I was completely unmotivated.
For turkey day, the Nawrots went over to my BFF's house. I brought the turkey and Dawn's eat-it-out-of-the-pan-its-so-good Cranberry Salad. And we ate, and drank, and ate, and drank. At the end of the meal, I quietly excused myself from the table and went into the living room where I could lay flat. Otherwise I would have exploded.
The day after turkey day, I made my husband mail the Xmas cards, and I stayed home and cleaned the house. No way in Hades I was going to get mixed up in the chaos at the malls (one of our malls opened at MIDNIGHT!). I did some online shopping though. And on Saturday, my daughter and I hit the trail. I made a pretty significant dent on the prezzies. Today, we decorate! Funny, I think the rest of the family is hiding from me...
Whenever I'm home with the kids, I never feel very productive with my reading. I did finish my next Babes, Books and Bordeaux read, "Cane River", on audio. Then I started "The Book Thief" on audio for the Heathrow Literary Society. (I'm going to cry at the end of this one, aren't I? Just wanted to be forewarned.)
And I finished Sarah Waters' "Affinity"!!!! Oh, I could just melt into a puddle. I did not want that one to end! If only I could just lay down and sleep in her words. I started the graphic novel "Laika" in various tub soakings (I'm going to cry in this one too, aren't I?), and also started "The Lotus Eaters" for a blog tour in December. This will complete my Vietnam Challenge right at the finish line!
So have the Holidays kicked in for all of you? Do you love this time of year, or do you get stressed out, or a little of both? How about your reading? Does it suffer or do you kick into high gear? Whatever the case, hope this post finds you all healthy and happy. I've not been the best visitor lately, but I'm hoping I will get back into the groove next week. See you then!
26 comments:
It's a busy time of year, alright! I hate hate hate going to the mall now. If there's any way I can do what I have to online, I do it!
I don't have much holiday spirit this year, but I guess it's okay because I don't have many gifts to buy. All of the kids want money and Carl's already bought his gift.
Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday, but it is so stressful for me now with 5 extra people here for 3 days. The boys (my grandsons, age 9 & 7, plus their cousin, age 8)nearly drove me insane. All they wanted to do was pretend fight and of course the weather was horrible, so they couldn't play outside. Then the dishwasher broke down on T-Day! Gawd! What I'm thankful for this year?...that they've all gone home!
Christmas will be a breeze in comparison!
Sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving, Sandy!
I did brave the crowds and actually completed most of my Christmas shopping. I am hoping that this frees up a few of my December nights to catch up on holiday reading - something I haven't done for quite some time.
Love this time of year even with (or because of) all the reasons you reel off in that most-amusing second sentence. Enjoy the fun, the energy, the chaos, and, most of all, the smell of fresh Christmas trees. And presents! I sit and make out a Christmas list every year just like my kids, and load up the Amazon wish list to help out my book befuddled family. Happy holidays!
November and December are very very busy months, and I have to admit that I'm not thrilled during this time. Between the holidays and the end of the semester grading, I become something of a annoyance to my poor husband. :)
I admire you for kickstarting the holiday spirit so soon! I've started a little bit of Xmas shopping and I only have 2 weeks of work until my holiday break starts, so it won't be long until the planning gets underway. Once things start rolling, I get into the spirit of it & tend not to stress too much...*she says* :D
Oh no... you're one of THOSE people that mail cards out Thanksgiving weekend and make the rest of us look bad ;-) We'll start decorating today, too. Since there's snow, we may even go cut down our tree early this year.
I'm with Kathy this year. I don't have a lot of holiday spirit. Losing Buddy took it out of me even though we have Sam now. We are putting up some decorations though. I'm not sure what we'll do about the tree yet as there is no way on God's green earth that Sammy Bear is going to leave it alone. He'll have it laying in the middle of the floor in no time. Enjoy decorating and all that good stuff.
I'm still in denial about Christmas cards, and I need to make a run to the store for an item or two to go in the gift swap package.
I loved The Lotus Eaters and can't wait to see what you think of it.
I love Christmas, but it really stresses me out. We did do a little shopping, but there was no way I was heading out there on Friday to fight the crowds. This week I will be doing some solitary shopping while everyone else is at work, and hopefully I can avoid getting overwhelmed! I hope you have an awesome week!
This is my favorite time of the year. I eat it up. BUT, I do tire of the commercial aspect. Like right now, I am pretty much done with my shopping and it's left me asking "why?" Why do we do this each and every year? I would much rather get one, awesome present, but I know how the kids are with packages to open.
I used to be that way about Christmas cards too... Every year though my list get shorter and last year I didn't even send any! I think I'm just getting tired of all the madness and rush the holidays always seem to bring on. I think why?! I need to work on finding balance!
And, oh my goodness you haven't read The Book Thief? I thought you had. Oh girl, have a box of kleenex on hand. That book is so amazing and so sad.
Yes you will cry at the end of The Book Thief ... unless you are made of stone.
And I totally forgot about Christmas cards. I guess I better think about that. The ONLY thing we've done is put up the outside lights because it was nice today. I better get on the ball!
Yup, Laika, you will need a hankie. It sounds like you had a wonderful, if over-stuffed, holiday. I am impressed by your staying on top of the Christmas letter, card thing. I have to get Mr. G on it right now! Have a great week.
I'm already feeling the stress. House is decorated after quite a few fiascos! LOL! But now I need to get picture of kiddos for Christmas Card. Always stressful!
On the plus side, shopping is just about done!
I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet but I did mail out the Christmas cards (I figured I'd better do that first before it's too late, haha). I didn't participate in the Holiday Swap this year since I know I wouldn't have sufficient time to buy the gift and mail it out, as I'd been pretty busy with the moving of stuff for the office relocation.
Well, I hope you've a great weekend, Sandy!
The road to Christmas cards is paved with good intentions. Your Thansgiving sounds like my kind of good time!
Well, I thought about the Christmas card, really...Still too early for me, however. It has to be December. Nothing will happen until the weekend before. This is how it has always been, and it won't change now. sigh...
But I love the holidays, I really do :)
You are so organised! I've only just started to think about Christmas - I haven't bought my Christmas cards yet and am hoping the shops still have some advent calendars left - one day I'll get organised, but for now I'll just sit back and admire you :-)
We destressed years ago by cutting down on our shopping list and relaxing about the decorating. You'll get through it!
Oh, I love the holidays but I hate Christmas shopping as the stores are overcrowded and I don't like that. But it pays off when you see the smiling faces on Christmas day when everyone is unpacking their presents!
I'm contemplating a blogging break right now and dive right in into the holidays... Still thinking about it. Hmm...
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We decorated our house over the weekend, but I don't even want to think about writing out Christmas cards. Honestly, I don't think we sent any last year because I put my hubby in charge of it. LOL I'm so scatterbrained this time of year, especially with The Girl's science fair project due!
I don't "do" Christmas but I send seasonal greetings (in paper and pen) to my closest friends. This is the time of the year when I go home for a prolonged visit because I've got almost a month off. Warm weather in Asia await and I'm very excited.
You are going to ball your eyes out at the end of The Book Thief. Steel yourself for that one! Glad to see you are in full blown getting ready for the holiday mode. I'm just back from my trip and dragging my feet on all of the Christmas preparations but I'll get there!
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