All I Want For Christmas!

I am afraid this post will sound bah-hum-bug-ish, so I ask for your mercy in advance... 

Now that Halloween is over, it is officially the Holiday Season. My husband has permission to play Christmas music now, and as soon as he gets a whim, he'll put up the decorations! 

I love being married to him, for so many reasons... and this child-like fascination with the festivities of winter is definitely among them! It's a sweet blessing to watch his whole-hearted devotion to all-things-Christmas!

Unfortunately, I don't bless him back with the same attitude. I suppose it's the dregs of a childhood in the home of a single mom where anything money-related was too stressful to enjoy.

Now that I'm the mom, and soooo thankful not to be single, you'd think I could leave all that in the past and focus on the fun, the magic, the Reason for the Season.

I try! I hope I get at least an E for Effort! But, alas, I am yet lacking. 

Part of the problem, I confess, is that we end up with too much stuff -- and I really don't like clutter... Especially paying money to get more clutter! 

It's my own fault! I want to make our children's dreams come true! So I buy them the plastic toys and anxiously await that the momentary glitter in their eyes when they tear open the wrapping paper!  Then they give Santa all the credit... I'm not bitter, though!

Ahem, okay, so it is becoming clear to me that I am using my blog as a form of therapy... I hope you don't need therapy after reading this!!

So, my point is that this year I am choosing to give memories rather than stuff! I am writing this post from a mansion on Bear Lake, where my daughters and I are attending a retreat!

It was slightly more expensive than what we normally budget for Christmas gifts, but at least I won't ever have to pick it up off the floor or give it to goodwill or throw it away because it got broken!

Oh, and Santa won't get the credit for this, either!!