And I Said I Wasn't Going To Spend A Lot On Christmas Shopping This Year...

I said I wasn’t going to do much Christmas shopping this year, not like other years anyway, but I’ve done some. So far I haven’t gone wild in Walmart or the mall like usual. However, I stopped at Walmart this morning as I got paid yesterday, to look for something for those on my list I haven’t bought anything for yet. Wouldn’t you know it? I saw all kinds of things I wanted to get for me. A swimming suit. A Christmas sweater. A cute dress. A couple cute watches. Temptation called to me down every aisle. I really wanted that swimming suit as I’ve gained a size and I’d like to go swimming at the gym again (so I can lose that size and more!) So that’s more of a need. Still, I didn’t get it today. I’m thinking about it, though. I might go back. Swimming sounds delicious. But I’m also on deadline (past deadline on one book) for two books so I need to work on those. That’s why I’ve been absent from my blog a bit lately. How I wish I could clone myself so I can go swimming and work all at the same time. I even feel guilty blogging instead of working on my stories. I also saw a lot of things I wanted to buy for the family and I drastically limited myself today. I saw a cute camera that would be perfect for both my 14 year-old son and my 9 year-old grandson. But I already have gifts for them and spent the allotted amount of money I set myself per person. Plus, my oldest son gave my youngest son a great birthday gift last night that I’d be hard put to top anyway. DS#1 gave DS#3 a mini laptop with a web cam built in (yeah, I’m a bit worried about the web cam part for a teenage boy so I’ll have to find out how to monitor it). The thing is so CUTE. It looks like a baby lap top. I didn’t know they came so tiny until last night. Trust DS#1 to have the latest technology. He’s a real techno geek. Suffice it to say DS#3 is extremely happy right now and playing with his new toy. I haven’t sent out my Christmas cards, either. I had two packages of banana bark cards from my charity (you have to see them – they’re hand made by the poor of Haiti and Jamaica and so beautiful and best of all they help them to support their families. Click here.) since before Thanksgiving and I’ve still not addressed them much less mailed them. I have to squeeze that in this weekend, too. We decorated our front yard but not much on the inside yet at all. Our tree is still in its box in the garage. We’ll have to put it up tonight or tomorrow night. We also meant to do that Thanksgiving weekend. I can’t remember what we did the day after Thanksgiving – oh! I think I was working on my books. I didn’t go out into the Black Friday craziness. And still, I found a pretty purse for my older daughter today for $5.00. (Walmart of course. Walmart’s getting a lot of my dollars this Christmas. And the Flea Market.) I haven’t bought anything for hubby yet. He told me not to spend much money this year in general but then he told me that he wants a “good” MP3 player, better than the one he has. Excuse me? My MP3 player isn’t working at all plus he told me not to spend much. That or he wants a silver Corvette (and not a toy one). I know he knows I can’t afford the Corvette but I bet he’s expecting me to buy him a good MP3 player. I guess I’m only allowed to spend a lot on him and no one else? I’m confused. Our family picked names this year and I drew one of my kids, not the hubby. Still, as Mom, I feel like I have to get everybody something. Even the 14 year-old was in the name draw. Of course I have to pay for the gift he buys anyway. I’ll get more for the one whose name I picked. It seems like I’m spending more than I said I was going to anyway. At least at work, we decided not to exchange gifts this year, to donate the $ to our charity. However, one of my staff gave us all a gift already so I need to return the gesture. I’m afraid that will start something after all. Here I am, embroiled in the materialism of the season again. Let me get off this focus and concentrate on the true reason and meaning of Christmas. Let me put up the tree, make some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies tonight, and hunker down with some poignant Christmas movies. Let me listen to some Christmas carols and spend time in church celebrating. Let me lift my voice on high and reflect on the true joy of the season. With only a little over 10 days until the big day, let us all enjoy the beauty of the miracle of the Christ child and the spirit of St. Nick. It is a little difficult, however, to get in a summer mindset for the summer story I’m busy writing. Then again, I was writing my Christmas stories in July. We writers are always a season or two off. One of these days, I’ll actually write a Christmas story during the Christmas season (for the following year). If I wasn’t on deadline for the summer story, I’d do so now. You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)