This article got me thinking about how Christmas can be so stressful
for a lot of us. I have always tried to get the Christmas shopping done early.
I found that once that is done the rest can be fun or at least not so stressful.
I use to shop by phone or mail in. Always looked forward to the Sears and Penny’s
Christmas catalogs. And so did the girls. Circling everything on most pages.
Deciding what they wanted most was the hard part. But at least I did that from
my easy chair with a cup of coffee. Needless to say, I was a prime candidate
for online shopping. This year, I think the only thing I have bought in a store
was some decorated gift boxes at the local Dollar General to make wrapping a
breeze (just need some Scotch tape and I am good to go) and four grab bag gifts
under five dollar (two of which had to be snack items), two for each of us, for
the pony games we play at our family Christmas. I was amazed at all the
different worthwhile looking items you can find at Wal-Mart. Especially since
they had to be unisex items.
I do very little Christmas baking any more. All the girls
and their families bake enough for the whole neighborhood. Hubby makes enough
homemade, from scratch, fudge for the whole family and a few friends as gifts.
He usually goes through 10 lbs. of sugar. I make the peanut clusters using a
giant can of peanuts. We give those as gifts too. Card list has been paired
down a lot over the years. Just close family and friends. So I send most day
the week before finishing up loose ends and enjoying my favorite Christmas
songs. Definitely less stressful than the past. Thanks to online shopping.
You can read the article below. She listed some very good
ideas.
Take time to enjoy the season and your families.
But most of all remember "the reason for the season".
Rose.
