Happy Winter Solstice! It's the shortest day of the year, when all thoughts turn to: how the heck am I going to be able to shop and wrap all THIS in time for Christmas?
Admittedly, I've been a lax shopper this year and am not too behind on wrapping or shopping. Maybe because I'm not willing to spend a lot of money due to the economy, to the uncertainty of my freelancing life or, more importantly, I'm tired of picking up all the toys from last year's Christmas. Yesterday I did a mad rush and spent an hour looking for stocking stuffers. Didn't even break a sweat. Compare that to last year when I showed up half an hour before a store closed on Christmas Eve and set a record for dollars (sweat and tears) spent per minute.
And, unfortunately, I can't help but have the lack of concern for last year's gifts influence this year's selections. I mean, do I really want to buy them a bright and educational card game if they play it for maybe two days in 365—and the rest of the time, I'm finding cards throughout the house in illogical locations, such as behind the toilet or in the rabbit's cage.
Just this morning, as the kids related how bored they are, I pointed out various games and toys I thought they could and should play—all of them, strewn about the house. Their complaints followed around the house, giving comfort to the discarded toys of Christmas 2007.
Finally, they found the entertainment they had been seeking: running and sliding along the wood flooring in their socks, followed by making themselves scary with colorful stickers.
An activity that has kept them occupied for longer than any of last year's gifts have. The annual commercialism of Christmas seems highly overrated in contrast, when wasted on the kids. Unfortunately, I may still end up in the throes of last minute shopping because I'm not sure socks and stickers will suffice for my husband's gifts this year.
However, I might be able to get by with a few card tricks.
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