We are all in the throes of the year's grand finale. We've nibbled our way through our Halloween candy, and the Thanksgiving dinner has lingered long enough that I might never again eat mashed potatoes, and now it is time to be "merry and bright" and find the magic in a season that becomes increasingly daunting to me each year. No, I'm not a Scrooge or a Grinch. I am a procrastinator. Always have been.
I was the student who waited to write a paper until the night before it was due. I was the bride who chose our wedding songs while I was already in my wedding dress on the day of our wedding. I am the mama who fills out school picture order forms on the morning of picture day while the kids are rushing to get out the door. You get the idea. I don't know why I do this. It drives my mother crazy. If we are traveling to visit my family in California, my mom will call me two days before we leave home to ask, "Have you started packing yet?". I don't know why she continues to ask since the answer is consistently, "Nope. I'll pack right before we leave."
It has taken me 32 years to realize that procrastinating during the Christmas season is a recipe for disaster. You know why it took me so long to learn this lesson? Because I waited, of course. :)
Last year, I spent the better part of Christmas Eve rushing from store to store, crowd to crowd, searching through picked-over merchandise, trying to finish my Christmas shopping.
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| heading out, Christmas Eve 2010 |
Not to mention that while I was out doing the Christmas Eve panic shopping, I ran into an ex-boyfriend who cornered me for 45 minutes while he explained his conspiracy theories regarding Disneyland, red-heads, and something about John the Baptist. Seriously, it was weird. And as a side note, you know how you hope to look super fabulous if you ever run into an ex? Well, please see the above photo. Pretty sure my pajamas were still on under that sweater. Not ideal.
Oh, and I just remembered that Devon and I waited to wrap our gifts until after the kids went to bed on the night before Christmas, so we were up until nearly 2am wrapping, and we both got that back pain that you get from sitting on the floor wrapping gifts... you know the pain, right?
Anyway, not again, friends! This year will be different! I will spend Christmas Eve with my family, darn it! I will buy the gifts on my list and not settle for whatever is left at the local Target! I will shop online and try to save myself some hours and crowds! I will not wait until the last minute! And I will go to bed at a decent hour on Christmas Eve! Do you hear me, mom? I finally get it!
So, tomorrow is cyber-Monday, and I'm not sure what that means exactly, but wish me luck because I'm feeling pretty pumped up to finish my Christmas shopping by the end of the week. It is my Christmas Challenge.
Please tell me, where do you fall on the scale of Christmas shopping? Are you already done? Or will you be finishing on Christmas Eve?
And onto a completely different topic, I scanned a copy of my kindergarten school picture from my mom's wallet while she was here last week, and check out me at 5 years old next to Lucy at 4 1/2 years old. My mini-me definitely has my round face!
5 comments:
I love your challenge!! I have been shopping on Amazon and LOVE it. It's so easy. You have an idea, type it on, and wall-ah it's on its way;) I think I'm pretty much done, just need stocking stuffer stuff.
PS
Lucy is your mini-me;)
Well. unfortunately I get it about studying the night before the test, packing the night before I leave, although I do start setting stuff aside I want to take.
I love your early New Year's resolution.
Lucy is so your ini-me. Beautiful just like you. She got the best of both you and Devon.
OK, obviously I meant "Mini-me".
And you look very cute going out the door to do your Xmas eve last minute shopping.
Gosh Annie....I am so happy that you are going to change this behavior! Although I must say that you have always been able to nail whatever you procrastinated on to the wall!!! Must be a gift! With the exception of booking flights at the last minute, thus not getting any discounts, it has worked for you! Anyway, Does Lucy not look so much like you?? LOve you!
Omgsh! I am absolutely head over heals on.love with t5his post! Wanna know something? I am hiding in my closet using one of the kids christmmaas kindles to write thjscomment! As j can see I am not great at the keyboard yet! :) okay I am annoyingly done with My Christmas shopping! And so happy about it! But some of my favorite memories are running around with you last minute cursing the stores for closing at seven kn Christmas eve! Haha! I love you and this picture and oh my the ex run in! You told me about it in the hospitlal. Memebee? That was suposdd to say
member? Ha! Anyway...love. u And cant wait to s3e if u change your spots! Love the pic of u and Lucy...its unreal!! Your Bloch looks beautifully festive btw!!!
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