It is Sunday night and my men at at the movies, the dog is sleeping on my bed (under the covers no less) and the cat is sleeping on a chair. I am takin' a breather from the Christmas crazies and just reflecting for a few moments before I get back to work on my "to do" list.
We spent yesterday celebrating Christmas with my side of the family. My niece traveled down from "the county" and picked up her mother in "mill town" before heading south while my husband, son and I headed north to Mid-Coast Maine to gather at my brother's house. My other brother doesn't join in as he basically cut ties with the family years ago. We have a relaxing pot luck lunch before exchanging presents. It is truly "the way Christmas should be" to me. No stress. The focus isn't on the presents and how much money we spent but on the thoughts behind the presents. It was very obvious that everyone thought about what someone would want or need. My 15 year old niece picked out a wall placque for me that is the absolute perfect colors for my newly redone bathroom. My brother-in-law invested a lot of time and effort in making us all personalized hiking sticks. It was really a great day and a wonderful start to the rest of the Christmas week activities.
Monday night, we have tentative plans for friends to come over for a wrapping party. Just about every year for the last 15 or so, I have wrapped Christmas gifts for a man that used to work with my husband. At first, it was just what he gave his then wife but, since the divorce, it was been most everything. As his daughter messaged me lately, he is a whiz in assembing a computer but the paper, scissors and tape defeat him. The past few years, his girl friend comes too and after we eat, we gather around the kitchen table and she wraps her presents and I wrap Dave's. I look forward to this every year. The scheduling has been difficult this year and I hope it works out.
On Tuesday, my office is starting our annual two-day eatathon. As requested, I am bringing in what I call "Melinda's Meatballs". A former co-worker used to bring them in and someone asked it I could this year. So easy and yummy. I quickly said yes! Tuesday evening will be karate as usual. Somehow, I think it will be a great stress reliever!
On Wednesday, we are hosting my son's boy scout troop for the annual Christmas party. They are going to do a night hike and then come back to our house for Hot Chocolate and goodies. My 25 cup coffee maker will be perfect for making the mass quanities of hot chocolate that I will need.
On Thursday, we will join my in-laws for a pizza supper and also go to a movie. My son has the day off and I get out at noon.
We all have the week off between New Years and Christmas - first time ever. My son is having a friend visit from Connecticut for a few days and we are hoping to repaint the upstairs bathroom. Yee gads. I still haven't picked out the paint color!
I hope the up-coming week is fun, relaxing and blessed for you and yours. Don't forget to take some time for yourself.
Merry Christmas!
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My mother always had my dad wrap everything. When I was a child, NOTHING from Santa was wrapped - let's think of it as their gift to the economy.
ReplyDeleteEver since my father died, my mom passed the wrapping onto me...when I wasn't living near her, all gifts were handed over in the bag they got shoved into at the store.
I didn't wrap Santa gifts either. Santa always brought the "needs some assembly" gifts and we assembled them the night before and put them under the tree unwrapped. It makes Christmas morning easier.
ReplyDeleteWow! Busy. Gifts from Santa were never wrapped in our house either. Makes life simpler so we can identify which ones Santa brought!
ReplyDeleteIt seems kind of nice to spread Christmas out over the week instead of trying to get it all in on one day. We are having a simple dinner with my Dad and his girlfriend, I am looking forward to spending the time with them.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your family!
hmmmmm, to wrap or not to wrap....I like to wrap each kids gifts in a different paper. all penguins are kid #1, all santas kid #2 etc. but I always assemble BEFORE I wrap...which makes all the gifts look funny wrapped....and takes a bit of doing. one year I wrapped everything in newspaper comics. the kids were too young to know or care and it made wrapping cheap and opening easy!!
ReplyDeleteenjoy your destressed fun.