Christmastime is Here

                        

Christmastime is here again. We are in the full swing of things. This weekend was especially busy. We are going for a fun weekend away to the Georgia mountains this coming weekend so this past weekend was our last chance to really get everything taken care of. The kid's gifts have been taken care of for quite a few weeks. They only get 4 things so this year my oldest is getting a pink guitar, an outfit, books and legos. She was so cute - she said, "I know they are kind of for boys, but I would really like to have some Legos." I got all feminist on her and said 'NO - they are NOT for boys. You ask for Legos if you want them." My little one is getting a keyboard on a stand, an outfit, some books, and a doll. She wanted an American Girl doll but there is no way in Hades that I am paying $100 for a doll. Maybe if it was just the doll and not the keyboard but the keyboard was over a hundred and I am not made of money. I got her an Our Generation doll from Target. If she gets upset, I'll just tell her it's American girl doll's cousin. Bad Mom Award. Then this week, my 9 year old decided she wants Beanie Babies. What does she think this is 1995? Sorry, the presents have been purchased. It will be what it will be.

Every year we give the kids money to buy gifts for each other and gifts for us. We gave them each $25 and split up. My 9 year old went with me got her sister a One Direction poster and some jewelry from Claires. My 7 year old went with my husband and got her sister this super cute belted dress and silver sequins purse from Dilliards. She did good, shopping the sale racks. I taught her well. They were so excited to come home and wrap their gifts.

I was telling them that when I was a kid, they did Santa's Secret Shop at school and my parents would give us like $2 to buy gifts for the family. They would set up these tables behind the stage and they would have gifts you could buy. There was a 25 cent section all the way up to $20.00. I have to stretch my money so I went for the cheaper gifts. I remember buying my dad this ceramic owl figurine that was an inch high and he acted so excited to when he opened it on Christmas day. That must have been so hard to do. We were laughing just thinking about it. I purchased a tiny plastic snow globe one year. It's the thought that counts.

After our shopping and wrapping we were tuckered out. We had a nice dinner and watched a Christmas Carol by the fire. It's one of our favorites. The 1984 version. It's such a great move. George C. Scott is such a great actor. The kids just love it. My husband and I find it amusing when the ghost of Christmas present tells Scrooge to look beneath his robe. We giggle like middle schoolers. We are very sophomoric. That's why we get along so well. We joke about it throughout the year. Sometimes I wrap the kids up in my bathrobe and say in a booming voice, "Look here, beneath my robe." We laugh and laugh.

It was a wonderful night, all of us curled on the couch watching the movie. We ate ice cream, the fireplace crackled, the lights of the tree dimly lit the room. I reminded me of why this is my favorite time of year.