Let’s set the scene:

Your gorgeous, children bound down the stairs Christmas morning, complete with bed head and holiday pjs (possibly opened the night before).  Their eyes widen and the magic of the holiday engulfs them.  One shrieks with delight as he opens the ONE gift he was hope, hope, hoping for!

“Can I open it up?”

“Of course, baby!”

wait for it….wait for it…. wait for it….

“Honey don’t cry.  Daddy just has to find a pair of pliers and a screwdriver.”

What has caused this Christmas horror?  Toy packaging!  I am sure you know what I am talking about.  Here are few images to simply remind you of the hassle you are about to encounter:

I am not sure the purpose for these torture devices.  Display?  Safety?  Theft?  One of the great mysteries of my world.  Learning many painful lessons, I now swoop in with a preemptive strike.  Before I wrap those little treasures-I make sure it is easy to play with right away.

Get rid of all those twist ties, disc holds, and screws as you drink a glass of wine! Then tie the ribbon around that Nerf Gun.  In all honesty it is more for me than my kids.  Christmas morning is much more relaxing for me and really that is what is all about, right?

Oh, I do love this season.  So far our tree is up and shimmery.   The lights outside pop on at 4:30 (yes, that is dusk in these parts!).  Each morning means an advent treat and finding our scout elf, Elfie.  Today brings Santa pictures.   We could plan a trip to ride the Holiday Carousel and visit the gingerbread houses in downtown Seattle.  Holiday song fest and cookie reception, Christmas pageant practice and a big solo to practice for-the list can go on and on.

Meanwhile Santa hasn’t completed essential tasks, which will mean having a sitter next week since the kids are on break starting Friday at 3:30.  All of these check lists and must-dos can cause one to be “Christmas frantic”.  

Keeping things in perspective, I cherish traditions and look for ways to create memories with my kids.
Things I make time for each year:

• add one new ornament to our tree each year.  Some are just pretty, others have stories.  This year’s ornament comes all the way from NYC.  (That just puts a smile on my face!)
• adding a new page to an album every year with our family’s Christmas card and the boys’ Santa picture.  We only have it out this time of year and it is such a treat to look through.
• crab on Christmas Eve.  This is a new tradition for me, one that I have borrowed from my husband’s family.  It is the BEST dinner to ready for…..the cook does almost nothing.  Buy the crab cooked and cleaned and ……Viola!  Dinner is served.
• chose one classic holiday movie and watch it with my kids for the first time.  This year (although it might be classified as a modern “classic” since it came it out in the 90’s.) it is Home Alone. I love to hear hear the belly laughs from all 3 of my guys!
• lunch date with a friend.  A girl has got to eat and why not squeeze in time to lunch with a friend.
• buy new wrapping paper.  I choose 3 or 4 designs and find ribbon that compliments them.   
• make Santa Cake on Christmas Eve.  Every other day of the year it is known to us as Rice Crispy treats.  Santa is gluten-free in our house. 🙂

Things I have given up on:

• cutting down a tree. 
• the perfect photo for the holiday card.  If all 4 of us are in it….that is good enough.
• buying for everyone.  The kids in our lives still get gifts, but the adults share a good bottle of wine and some merriment instead!
• the mall.  I try to do most of my store shopping in local independently owned shops.  The rest is done online.  Nothing like shopping in your pj’s in front of the fire. 
• making it all perfect.  It is not attainable, so I try to find humor in all that goes wrong.

Ok.  I apologize for resorting to such an overused, unimaginative expression, but OMG.

Nordstrom, has just answered my holiday wish ~ which is to avoid Bellevue Square at all costs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.  Check it.

Orders placed by 12pm Pacific will be delivered by 6pm the same day; orders placed after 12pm will be delivered by 6pm the following day—even on Saturdays and Sundays. Select Same Day Delivery in Checkout.

• Seattle, WA: 98101, 98102, 98104, 98109, 98112, 98121, 98122, 98154, 98164, 98174
• Bellevue, WA: 98004, 98005, 98007, 98039, 98040
• La Jolla, CA: 92037, 92117, 92121, 92122

Amazon Fresh solved one problem for me and now Nordstrom has solved another!  Shop on.

just something to make you smile on a Monday…

I came across these ad posters on the world wide web this weekend.  I suppose this is a perfect situation to use, LOL.   Actually, they are down right hysterical!  They are mock horror movie posters.  The horror? Ill fitting bras…and what the consequences might be for the woman in complete denial.

Who is the brilliant mastermind behind this campaign?  A bra boutique called The Booby Trap. (How much do you love the name of their store?!)   It is actually located in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.  Hey, if I am ever in their neighborhood, you better believe I will pop in and check it out!  Since I live quite a distance away, I sure hope all the ladies that live in NL frequent this shop. We could all use a little humor while shopping for undergarments. 

You can also check out their facebook page:

I know I posted this on facebook yesterday, but is just screaming to be a blog post as well.

Please know, I love the holidays and all that they bring.  Mostly just being with people I love and the spirit of the season.  I don’t mind shopping, or cooking, or socializing, or spreading joy near and far.  By goodness…I am not Ebenezer!

HOWEVER…..It being Nov. 1, Starbucks peeled the plastic wrap off the red holiday cups. I call b*llsh*t!  Seriously, 55 days until Christmas and they bust them out.  Can’t we look forward to the upcoming season?  By the time the big days finally arrive, we are so sick of the “season” that we often are relieved it is over.

Not sure what the answer is, other than a blog rant!  Sticking to my motto:  only worry about what you can control.  The Christmas season begins in my house after Thanksgiving. Looking forward to it.
I hope you are too!

PS.  I know it isn’t JUST Starbucks, they are just lucky enough to be in my crosshairs.   I happened to also get 10 holiday catalogs in the mail yesterday and saw my first “get them what they want” commercials last night.