Holiday Madness

Oh, it is with a HUGE sigh of relief that I can officially announce that I am ALL DONE with my Christmas shopping. That said, I actually had a grand time running around the shops yesterday afternoon. I feel that the gifts I purchased are perfect fits for the intended recipients. Every year, I *think* I'm done, and every year, I find myself at stores, buying a few last minute things. That means that I drive myself crazy from roughly November 1 through December 23, constantly teasing myself, telling myself that *this* is going to be the day I finish shopping.

It never is.

So, and you all can hold me to this next year, I hereby promise that next year, I'm going to do my official shopping in December. I'll take a couple of days and do it all. I don't kid myself that I won't run out to buy a few last things, but at least I won't experience that long, drawn out agony of thinking I'm done in November only to start panicking on December 10 when I go to take inventory of my purchases.

And it is also with a huge sigh of relief that I embrace the actual holidays and the end of the holiday "season." I have a feeling that life will be much better for me after January 1. Heck, even now that shopping's done, it feels better.

Since November, people who previously held a high-high-high-high spot on my "time-spent-with" list have had to suffer the consequences of my getting an apartment and of my actually commiting to the relationship with Wine Guy (instead of fitting it in at my convenience). In addition to those two big changes, I've been struggling to buy Christmas presents, host a potluck and otherwise engage in holiday festivities...

In other words: I have had NO TIME for a lot of the people who are most important to me. I can't apologize for there not being enough time in a day, because, thankfully, I'm not in charge of determining the number of seconds in a minute. I am, however, in charge of how I choose to spend my time. Now that the crazy, overachieving holidays are passing by, I will make an effort to be more aware of the needs of those around me.

And to start us off, I'll be home for Christmas!