For as long as I can remember, I’ve procrastinated. Holidays are no different.
Every. Single. Mother. Effing. Year. I say I will start Christimas shopping in the summer. I will buy that *perfect* gift as soon as I see it and not rely on my memory to tell me what it was I was thinking of getting 6 months after I’ve seen it in the store.
Every year, I wait.
Every year it is 5 days before Christmas and I haven’t completed even half of my shopping.
This year? It’s a little more stressful seeing as we are hosting. SIXTEEN family members are embarking on our new-to-us home which is still stuck in the mid-80’s and furniture-less. For me, (since Mike’s the chef and I don’t have to worry about the turkey at all. It just magical appears on my plate.) it’s the fact that we have no furniture.
I kid you not.
Our living room is empty save the boxes which have yet to be unpacked since we moved here back in July.
My parents joke that we’ll be eating dinner sitting on the boxes, but little do they know, until Saturday morning, that was a very likely scenario.
See? PROCRASTINATION.
Did I mention there will be sixteen people at my house? Ya. And we bought a dining room table this weekend. 7 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
I seem to be a gluten for punishment.
I have yet to decide on a menu, I haven’t purchased any table decorations. We only just finished buying our tree and decorating this evening.
The whole time decorating the tree, the boys were running around, throwing decorations and crying because one had stolen from the other. Mike was sitting there watching it all go down while I tried to wrangle two overtired children suffering from cabin fever. I didn’t even enjoy the fact that we were preparing for the holidays, but instead was cursing myself for being a damn moron and doing this to myself, yet again. When will I ever learn there’s a better way to do this? Clearly my lackluster approach to last minute preparation is not the anti-stress, holiday friendly way.
This week will the a disaster of buying gifts, wrapping, cooking, baking, organizing and decorating – after I get home from work. Oh, and a trip to the mall to see The Jolly Fat Man. Ya. Still haven’t done that either!
But don’t worry about me. I am totally going to start getting ready for next season come July. Promise.
Headless Mom says:
I am so in the same boat. Monday shopping FTW!
December 21st, 2009 at 12:16 am
kittenpie says:
For decorations and table stuff, just head to Homesense. Cheaper, and plenty of stuff.
For kids, you can still order books and toys online and get them in time for another day or two – and Winners and Homesense have that stuff right now, too, so you could save yourself some time/money that way. In fact, they have lots of good gift stuff. It could all happen in just a trip or two!
There, now don’t you feel better?
December 21st, 2009 at 2:08 am
Sara @heartmychloe says:
that’s so funny – i’m in the exact same boat! we just moved into our house this october, and are hosting christmas and 2 parties within a 2.5 week period.
Within the past month, i have purchased a dining room table and chairs, a kitchen dinette and chairs, a couch, a loveseat, and many many other items.
now i just need to worry about the presents and food.
hmmmm
December 21st, 2009 at 3:08 am
Karen says:
Oh Sam! If I’d have had more time, I could have called in a favour or two and helped get you some rentals for the day. (I was in the events industry when I lived in Toronto.) Go forth and drool here… http://www.cfrentals.com/
Hey, I’m good for advice if you still need it…
And if it makes you feel any better, I too procratinated pre Christmas and got slapped with H1N1 AND strep throat last week. Finally human again I have what… 3 days to do EVERYTHING??? GAH!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 9:34 am
punkinmama says:
How about you just leave the tree up all year… that will be one less thing to do at the last minute next Christmas!
But seriously, you’ll be okay… if the family doesn’t like sitting on boxes, tell them to bring their own chairs.
Anyway, Merry Christmas!
December 21st, 2009 at 10:45 am
Mojo says:
Ya know, I was gonna tell you all the story of how procrastination kept me sane during the holidays for years, but it was turning into a post-sized comment. SO I figured why not just make a post of it instead.
I’ll do that when I get around to it.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Stacey says:
I will be leaving work early for last minute shopping.
One of these years I’ll be ahead of the game.
Hey and maybe hanging on the floor and playing games will start a new tradition.
December 21st, 2009 at 1:40 pm
gorillabuns says:
I would say, “hey, guys! we are having an Euthopian Christmas!”
then people would leave and i would be happy.
Merry Christmas!
December 25th, 2009 at 2:55 am