I'm sorry if this annoys or irritates you, but it is true. I AM almost done! After spending ££££'s for decades on Christmas and putting the cost all on credit cards, that has all changed and over the last ten years or so l have honed my Christmas buying skills to this painless-ish cash only affair. I'm now just waiting for a couple of deliveries and one more pay day to buy three more gifts.
I start buying Christmas presents just as so soon as I see something that I know will suit one of my friends or family members.
This year I've bought even more of my Christmas presents online. This is great for research, for comparing prices and then going into the shop to save on postal costs or for actually buying, as many postal costs are waived the nearer we get to the big day. I've bought from lots of different sites including Amazon and sshhhhh eBay too, but not second hand goods just better prices, so this is good for the credit crunch and for my purse.
I store the presents on top of my wardrobe in a lovely and very old battered tan leather expandable suitcase. Which of course has been long filled and now an assortment of tk maxx bags are filled too! Then about a week before Christmas I spend a day off or evening alone with a glass or three of sherry, wrapping and sorting into gift bags.
I have made or crafted some of my gifts, of course I can't tell you here what these are, as I don't want to spoil any surprises. I always think the greatest gifts at Christmas are those that have been thought and chewed over. It doesn't take much to remember and even write down ideas, or when someone mentions a book or talks about something that can be linked to a great gift. Ohhhhh I wish I could explain further..... but I darent tell!
I put out the children's Advent calenders, of the chocolate Simpson's variety and to fill my own heart I have for the the first time in over twenty years put out a traditional Christmas Advent for me and Bahumbugs. This I thinking is a clever notion, as when I am away next week Bahumbugs will have to open the doors and he will be badgered by the kids, lest he forgets!
I look forward to this short trip, which I make every year in early December. I have found myself get a bit low over the Christmas period, and I think I can avoid this by making this trip down to Kent each year to visit with my parents. I take down the Christmas gifts with me and as now I no longer have an old banger of a car I drive rather than train it down. This also means that I am not hampered by the issue of weighty gifts.
When I come back it will be Christmas Carols in the Catherdral, my daughter is in the choir and I always find it very emotional listening to Silent Night and others in that setting. My two teenage children thought they would be sophisticated this year and said they would be happy to have acurry, or eat out, go away for few days, now they want a home style christmas, not a single trimming or bauble out of place, just the same, funny eh?
Then it'll be about a week to go and in a flicker of a childs smile it will all be over. Sigh.
A contender for post of the day at Authorblog, thanks for the mention David!
