It's Christmas Time...

The one upside of winter is Christmas. I'm not a cold weather girl but there's something about all the houses lit up that makes it a bit better. I'm not sure if I could get used to a warm weather Christmas - there's something a bit more magical about snow glistening as opposed to sun burnt skin glistening...

So it's Christmas Eve, there's a threat of snow (which sends everyone in an extreme panic here), the tree is up, Christmas songs are blasting, and the presents are wrapped. I'd like to say C (the puppy) is asleep with visions of sugarplums dancing in her head but she's pawing at my leg whining... I guess the concept of Santa and being good is lost on her.

This year, I've decided to host Christmas dinner. I figured there are only so many years of being a married "grown up" that you can get out of it. Besides, I've learned a surprising fact about myself - I actually don't mind cooking (it's the cleaning up I don't like... and those recipes with a thousand steps). Part of me is a bit excited. The other part of me is up here procrastinating.

So I drafted a menu on Monday. I had actually had the menu in my head for about a week - tweaking and editing before I wrote it down. I decided to go easy but fancy. No pre-made frozen things here. Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter are about the only times you can drag out all those fancy bad for you foods with tons of butter (the cake I'm making now has two sticks - yum). For all my fab food - I bought three cartons of eggs and two packs of stick butter - I felt like a mini-Paula Dean.

So my menu you ask? Ham or course. I'm not brave enough to take on a Turkey. Spinach and Rice Bake (because bake sounds better than casserole that makes my three year old self run for cover gagging), broccoli and cheese, baked pineapple, about three different kinds of dessert, humus dip (my nod to healthy), sweet potatoes (and if you think this is healthy wait til I drench it in marshmallows and cinnamon). I am cheating and bought brown and serve rolls and canned cranberry sauce (although this my next goal to conquer homemade).

My only worry (aside from any of the recipes messing up?) is that the snow will mess up the plans for everyone to come over and I'll be stuck eating side dishes for the next week and a half. Snow party anyone? You bring the wine - I'll supply the food. :)

Merry Christmas! Hope Santa is good to everyone.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Is it me or does Christmas get earlier and earlier each year? I feel like August is barely over and the stores are decking the halls with pine branches, huge red and silver balls, and lights. The promos I'm getting in the mail all scream holiday looks or holiday sale. It's only November. Not even Thanksgiving yet. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas. I feel like a kid in a candy...err toy store at Christmas. I still look through the Toys R Us wish book and wish that I was five again because toys are way cooler now than anything I had. I write up Christmas wish lists and feverishly email them out to my mom hoping against hope this is the year the car with the bow will be in the driveway, or a new laptop is under the tree, or I finally get a pony... hey a girl can dream right? I love decorating, I was thinking today if it was too early to breakout the lights and start hanging garland but then remembered that pesky little Thanksgiving holiday (joking) and decided I should wait it out a week or so more. I love everything about Christmas and I think I love it most of all for all the traditions, the getting up early hoping Santa came, making orange cinnamon rolls and a huge breakfast, going to midnight Christmas Eve service, the carols, the parties, the lights... you get the picture.

But Christmas also wraps me up with anxiety. And it's because it can be so commercial. The I need to buy gifts for every person I've ever met and they better be good aspect. I'm not the type of person that can run in Macy's select five scarves of various color and call it a day. I agonize over gifts. I'll spend hours, days even, wondering if I made the right selection. Do you know how hard it is to find good gifts under $50, under $30, under $20? Pretty much impossible. And don't let those stupid magazines tell you that you're BFF wants some designer lipstick for $35. It looks impossibly cheap all wrapped up in a huge box with nothing else. I don't care if Dior is stamped all over it.

I want people to like the gifts. I want something meaningful not something that's thrown in the closet at the end of the holidays and never sees the light of day again.

This year, K is on a big kick to stop giving gifts to randoms; those people family/friends/acquaintances that fall into a category of people you hardly ever see but each year you still shell out a good amount of money for gifts for them, their kids, their dogs, their mailman... ok kidding. The thing is, if I agonize about what gifts to get, I'm even worse at telling people I don't want to give them a gift. Let's face it - it's awkward. And sometimes its not that I don't want to give you a gift, it's more budget right now doesn't allow for it. Any hints for making this conversation go over better? Because I can't think of anything and believe me I practice in my car all the time. Other drives probably think I'm one of those bonkers people talk to themselves. Thank God for Bluetooth - I could easily be talking to someone else for all they know.

And so, today is supposed to be my first day of Christmas shopping. My first stab at what to get people. And so far the only person I'm sure about is my dog C. She's so much easier to please, a few Greenies, a new toy and maybe a sweater and we're set. She'd be happy if I gave her a slice of cheese and called it a day. I'm debating spending the holidays shopping online - hello Amazon and Etsy. Maybe my next post will be all the fabulous things you could give someone for Christmas.... that's an idea.

So what's your take on all the gift giving? Are you the type that goes shopping Christmas Eve and hopes for the best or do you spend hours researching and planning and then stressing about what to get everyone? Good luck shopping!