Countdown to Christmas-Are you ready?

[Suzi Q]

This thread is started basically for those of us to vent or just share about what we have left to do, be it shopping, wrapping, packing, etc. Every time I think I have everthing under control, i get kicked in the head. I did so well yesterday, getting almost every last gift wrapped, then discovered I don't have boxes for 2 dvds, 1 book and a tool I bought. I got the menu written up for Christmas Day when Melissa calls and asks for the grocery list so she can shop before we get there. My mother calls and says she's found some lovely ornaments for me to take up to Dallas, and can I meet her at 10:00 this morning over by *EEEEEKKK* the Galleria? She called twice more over trivial stuff. It finally dawns on me that I have two days before we leave and when are Ken & I suppose to open our presents to eachother, not to mention getting together with the next door neighbors to exchange gifts? I haven't started packing and I am having seriously doubts as to whether or not all this mess will fit in my truck. Some idiot kids were shooting off their pellet guns behind my next door neighbors' house so she called and I spent almost 1 hour on the phone with her last night, when we coulda just stood by the fence and yammered. I haven't ordered the Honey Baked Ham yet. And then Ken this morning says "Why don't you take the truck and get it detailed before we go up?". Uh, why don't YOU take a flying reindeer leap off the roof? Jinkies, so much for rest and relaxation at Christmas. My one saving grace, I like others, paid for EVERY SINGLE GIFT WITH CASH. No credit card bills here. Of course, they'll prolly put me in a mental hospital before this week is over, so we'll neeed the credit card to pay for that!!!!!!!!!!!!

[azsnowman]

HOLY COW eb4480, I've got some Valium, need one "JUST KIDDING!"

Actually, I've got 1 more batch of caramel corn to make, buy the fresh veggies for the dinner. My ONLY worry "SO FAR", I don't know if the prime rib will be thawed out in time, our chest freezer, in a matter of 1 day, will turn anything you put in it, a ROCK!

Take a DEEP BREATH and repeat after me, "If I don't get it all done, there's always next year, besides, it's not about *stuff*.....it's about our Lord!"

Dennis

[Miss Mary]

HOLY COW eb4480, I've got some Valium, need one "JUST KIDDING!"

Actually, I've got 1 more batch of caramel corn to make, buy the fresh veggies for the dinner. My ONLY worry "SO FAR", I don't know if the prime rib will be thawed out in time, our chest freezer, in a matter of 1 day, will turn anything you put in it, a ROCK!

Take a DEEP BREATH and repeat after me, "If I don't get it all done, there's always next year, besides, it's not about *stuff*.....it's about our Lord!"

Dennis

Dennis - holy cow indeed!!! eb4480, take him up on the Valium, unless you're driving. I'm picturing something hanging out of your trunk, it won't all fit.......grrrrr. LOL I have a sister-in-law who travels down to Cincy from Chicago. She's been doing that over the holidays for over 10 years. She has us all trained well now. We only give them small items so it will all fit in their van. In the beginning I think they had (she has 3 boys) to ride with packages and bags on their laps home, for 6 hours.

I'm still not all wrapped. And I'd dearly love to find 2 or 3 hours to clean my house well. Or at least the first floor, in case someone pops in. When you're not hosting any gathering at all, you tend to let the house go, to bake one more batch of cookies or popcorn. Or run the Target for one more thing. And so I need to really clean today! And I'm still not recovered from my botched Friday night. We had a sudden one or two inch snowfall, just in time for rush hour traffic happen. My girls and I ran to Best Buy, a short 15 minute trip. But in holiday traffic it took longer. When we came outside the snow had begun to stick. And it took us hours to get home. We had plans to bake until midnight. Oops! That missed opportunity has me behind in the baking schedule. Best laid plans......

Mary

[Suzi Q]

Dennis,
Oh crudbunnies, i forgot about the cookies I was gonna bake until you mentioned the caramel corn! After I posted my original message i actually started doing some packing, list making, etc. Almost all packed (waiting for the load in the washer & dryer). Have made two grocery lists, 1 for here, 1 for dallas. Although the "ToDo" list is long and scary, I feel better now that I've goten it written down. Prime Rib, eh? Uh, how far are you from Dallas, need some company? No valium needed, just hope my muscle relaxers make it here tomorrow. Doing the darvocet thing today which accomplishes two things, keeps pain tolerable and makes me hyper as the energizer bunny!

EB
A/K/A Maniac Marva

[Suzi Q]

Miss Mary:
Yeah, I'll be the one driving since husband drives like a maniac. I finally got my first ticket last month, a PARKING ticket. Never had a wreck, never had a ticket until then after 27 years of driving. I can relate about cleaning the house...I'm like you, I've spent so much time running around it's looking a little dust bunnyish. Fortunately, since we won't be here, I may put that on my "Next Year" list.
I envy you and your snow although it caused you fits. I wouldn't have a clue how to drive in it and would prolly freak if I was stuck driving around in it when I had stuff to do at home. Since you seem to be through with your baking, wanna come do mine?

Marva

[StormCrazyIowan]

I have five gifts to wrap, that's all!! Then celebrate I shall!

[Amanzi]

LOL @ Dennis!

Well Im taking it easy.. besides wrapping hubby's stuff before christmas eve. The two of us normally sit down on christmas eve when the lil one is snoring.. break out some christmas music and a good ol drinkie (ok this year no brandy for me) but we have a wonderful time wrapping the gifts together and putting out the milk and cookies for Santa.. It is a real treasure time for us

[streetsoldier]

Nothing left to do here except to see who gets the remote first...either 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" if Debi gets it , vs. 24 hours of "action/adventure" if I do .

"I'll vee bahck."

[Guest]

I have a couple of gifts left to wrap, then I will be all set and ready to go.

[MScoast]

finished my shopping and wrapping today Tomorrow me and my sister-in-law are having the yearly "gumbo/christmas cookie day." We cook and drink a champaign punch, and the guys watch tv and take care of the kids

[JCT777]

Y'all have nothing on me. Due to major financial difficulties, my wife and I could not even BEGIN our Christmas shopping until she received her annual Christmas bonus from her workplace. My wife got the bonus this past Saturday (12/20). We were able to cash it that day, but we had to go to a get-together with people from her work that night - which ended too late for us to really do any shopping.

We did some Christmas shopping on Sunday (12/21), but had to stop early due to a commitment at our church in the late afternoon and evening. Both my wife and I worked until 5:30 yesterday and will again today, so we are unable to shop during the day. Anyway - last night we did some more shopping, but I would say we have at least a third of our Christmas shopping to do - TONIGHT! And nothing - I mean NOTHING - is wrapped yet. So the plan is to shop like insane people tonight (and hopefully finish), then stay up late organizing all the gifts (so we know who gets what). Then spend 5 to 6 hours tomorrow (12/24) morning/early afternoon wrapping gifts for our families (we are getting together with my family tomorrow night and her family on Christmas Day).

Nothing like being forced into a last minute frenzy.