Behind

My sister told me last night that she is pretty much done with her Christmas shopping. What?! I know, she's not the only one, and maybe the rest of you are done, too. But I haven't even started.

I seem to have this attitude that there is no urgency in shopping- it is only December 3 after all- but then I look at the calendar and realize there are really only three weekends till Christmas! Luckily, since I work from home, my schedule during the week is flexible, so I can go then. But unluckily, the next two week are busy at work!

At some point, I'm going to have to get a list together and go face the consumerism.

It is kind of uncharacteristic for me to not be totally gung ho about shopping. I did buy some new outside lights yesterday, so that is a start I think, but I am still not in the "Christmas" spirit.

Or maybe I am, in a spiritual sense. Advent is a time of quiet waiting. Waiting for an event that will change your life. Waiting for an event that is so awesome and amazing and joyful. Mary & Joseph did not roll into Bethlehem blaring celebratory music with a donkey full of perfectly wrapped gifts. They silently snuck in to a town that had no idea what it was in for that night.

That is how I feel. I feel quiet.

But we are hosting my family for Christmas, and Lord knows I want our home to look like a Crate & Barrel catalog. I want there to always be an open wine bottle and Bailey's coffee in the crockpot. I want there to be good food and family games until 1am. I want this to be the merriest, funnest, happiest Christmas we've ever had together. I feel like everything will have to be perfect and entertaining to make up for the fact that there won't be any kids' faces to watch as we read the story of Christmas or open gifts we've selected for each other.

But of course no one has the money to buy the whole fancy Christmas catalog things (or maybe some do, but I'm not sure it is worth it). I'm sure I can make things look very festive with some help from Target.

And I'm sure once I get my head in the game, as they say, I will be just as giddy as they next person in line at BB&B. I do love wrapping things for people, imagining them as they open the package!

But for now I feel behind everyone else this Christmas season. What else is new, with all the ways I've felt behind this year. At some point maybe I'll catch up with the rest of society!