Christmas Bombs

My mom loves Christmas. She always has.

When I was little, once Thanksgiving passed, Christmas officially began. Out came the boxes and boxes and boxes of garland, ornaments, Santas, elves and mistletoe (fake, of course).

Every shelf, stand and empty space in our smallish home was decked out in Christmas regalia. We had Christmas rugs and placemats. Christmas wreaths and bows! Everywhere you looked, there was a Christmas decoration.

My mom was always very particular about how our Christmas tree (fake, of course) looked, too. She sat on the couch and handed my brother and I ornaments one by one and directed us as to where to place them. Then she redecorated it for days making sure it was just so. After putting tinsel on strand by strand and forbidding us from touching it, she sat and marveled at the wonder of her work.

After a few years of this, my brother and I tired of being told where to place each ornament and we refused to help (which is what she wanted in the first place). We began to remark, as we got into our teenage years, that she exploded a Christmas bomb while we were at school the day after we returned from Thanksgiving break.

I vowed that when I would never decorate to the extent my mom did. No way, Jose. All I needed was a tree and a few ornaments and who cares what it looks like anyway? In fact, the first few years RxMan and I were together, we didn't even put up a tree or a wreath.

Then I had a child. I wanted Christmas to be magical, right? So, we got a tree. And some ornaments. And a wreath.

The next year, we got some more ornaments and some electric candles for the windows. Oh, and stockings! And stocking holders.

The following Christmas brought a bigger house and the need for some more wreaths (windows, duh!) and snowmen. And candles! And a tree for Claire's room.

Now, years later, we have a large tree and 2 smaller ones in each of my kids' rooms. We also have two other tabletop ones scattered around. Snowmen cover all of my stands and perch above my cabinets, which also house a collection of holiday village pharmacies. We have two sets of stockings and various other Christmas decorations scattered about.

I hung my head in embarrassment the first time my mom proudly said, "Looks like a Christmas bomb exploded in here, Tone!"

It does, I admit.

I have become my mom.

God help me.

But, in my defense, I don't direct my kids on where to place every ornament just most of them . And I try not to rearrange the ornaments after they are placed on the tree. We don't use tinsel (a cat and a two year old, get it?) and Liam can't keep his fingers off the tree.

So, I am my mom- the decaf version.

See:

Wordless Wednesday: Before And After

For more Wordless Wednesday, click here.

Christmas Baby Crack

Here are some photos of The Conqueror getting a sneak peek at a Christmas gift. He was instantly in love and occupied for a looooooooooong time so Mommy and Daddy could finish wrapping. This may turn out to be his drug of choice! Woot! Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Thursday Thirteen #6: Things I Hate About Christmas

1. Buying gifts out of obligation. Like for my in-laws. Ugh. We don't see them with even the slightest of regularity and they don't like me. It sucks to buy gifts for someone with whom you share a mutual dislike. Sucks.
   
2. The hustle and bustle. I thought this was supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus, not a shop-a-thon and go-into-debt-a-thon?
   
3. Cards. Okay, so maybe I don't hate Christmas cards but I hate having to reciprocate them. I send them to the 30-40 people I like and then have to continue mailing them back to Great Aunt PainInTheAss so I don't hurt her feelings or cause family nuclear war.
   
4. Keeping up with the Joneses. In my neighborhood, if one house does lights than the whole neighborhood has to and then it is a race after the 25th to remove them the fastest.
   
5. Wrapping. 'Nuff said? I used to approach gift wrapping with zeal and lots and lots of ribbon and loveliness. Now that I have children and have to wrap 4 bazillion gifts in secret? I'll wrap the little buggers in toilet paper and use duct tape; for some embellishment I might fish the TP out of the garbage.
   
6. Lying to my kid. Santa started out as a magical way to create excitement. Now? She is seven and questioning me all over the place about the big fat red guy. I keep lying. And hate. every. second. of. it.
   
7. The "perfect" gift. Is there one? And if you hit it once, can you ever achieve that again? I am exhausted at trying to find just the gift for each person. What happened to the thought behind it counting??
8. The "are they going to show up with a gift?" fretting. Don't you hate this? Worrying that your sort of good friend Ann who you rarely see will pop in on the 24th at 7pm with a gift for you and you won't have one in return. No wonder there are more suicides at this time of year!
   
9. Parties. All right, I am all for a little booze and a reason to take off the sweats but, seriously, folks, let's spread them out a little, 'kay? I have nothing to do from January through October, how's about we get together one of those months?
   
10. The baking. Admittedly, I don't bake. My husband does it. I help but he does most of the work. The problem, however, is I can't keep the stuff out of my mouth! Snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, peanut blossoms, oh, my!
    
11. Family crap. Okay, so trying to make everyone happy at this time of year is impossible. My mother expects our family to get together for dinner and gift opening on the 24th. Fine. But, then we have to get together again on the 25th for visiting and lunch. What?! This is because my husband's parents are virtually out of the picture and my sister-in-law doesn't have parents, so my mom thinks she can monopolize the entire two days. I have tried to put my foot down but it doesn't work. I want to spend time with my husband and kids. Visiting her shouldn't be expected; I should do it because I want to!
    
12. Excess. I love to buy stuff for my daughter and, now, my son. I do. But, at what point is it too much? I don't want them to be spoiled little brats who expect these extravagant gifts but, yet, I still do it. I worry I am going to raise kids who won't be appreciative.
    
13. The let down. Inevitably, it happens. Whether it is because you disappointed someone by not getting him/her the right gift or just the build-up to it didn't really match the thrill of the day. When Christmas is over, I always feel a little down. A little disappointed that it is over and that I didn't nail something or other.
    

I should say that I really love Christmas. I do. These are just a few of the things that tarnish the excitement and wonder of this time of year. Think about it, we all have a few things associated with this time of year that we hate. Admit it. I did. That's why we blog, isn't it? To commiserate with others; sharing the good, bad and ugly of life?

Here are some more Thursday Thirteen lists you may enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas With A New Walker And A Rotten Cat

More Wordless Wednesday here...

The Christmas Tree Rug

At dinner last evening, Her Highness, RxMan and I were discussing Christmas and Christmas trees.

Her Highness: Am I going to get my little tree in my room again this year?
Me: Yes. I don't think we're going to put up a tree in the family room this year, though.
Her Highness (alarmed): What?! WHY!?
RxMan: Well, between the cat and your brother, the tree will get trashed.
Her Highness: Oh. (pause, contemplating) Well, just put the rug out and send Santa a note and that will probably be fine.

We are planning on putting up a Christmas tree for the entire family; I was just joking with her. The tree will be surrounded by a baby fence to keep the demon cat and our rambunctious son out of it, though. That'll be purty, huh? Incidentally, the rug she mentioned is the tree skirt but she apparently thinks it has some sort of magical significance other than just covering up the tree stand and wires.

Thursday Thirteen: Dear Santa, Part Deux

Her Highness has requested these thirteen items for Christmas (and many more!):

1. Barbie Gril
2. Barbie Fashion Fever Trend Freinds
3. Rescue Pets E-Pup
4. LiTTlest Pet Shops
5. High School Musical the Sownd Chrack
6. Apple iPod
7. Hannah Montana stage Playset
8. Bratz be Bratz.come mini ceyboard
9. Bratz the movie Funky fashion Mackover
10. a girl skaterborad
11. Ditigal vidoe camera with preveiw screen
12. hungry hungry hipos
13. Bratz big kids music stars boll

What is your Thursday Thirteen???