Ready, Set, Go! It’s Christmas!

Ladies, you know you’re busy, frantic even, this time of year. Just in case there’s someone who has no clue how much you accomplish (husband and children), let’s take  a look.

Get decorations out of the attic, untangle strands of lights, throw out broken  ornaments, plan two days for shopping, find eggnog recipe online, feel nostalgic watching Rudolph on TV, have kids’ photo taken with Santa, organize caroling party at church, buy scented candles, string popcorn for the tree, sew button on jacket, go shopping during lunch hour, buy teacher gifts, make fresh wreath for the front door, buy poinsettias, wrap gifts, find the tree stand, take the  kids to the tree farm, bring the tree home on top of the car, put up the tree, hang stockings, make a Yule log, hang mistletoe, buy Christmas cards, put away Thanksgiving decorations, set up Nativity scene, buy more storage containers, help decorate at church, make gingerbread men, rescue tinsel from the cat, deliver holiday  food to the food  bank, make  grocery list, shop online for gifts before going to bed, take the kids to buy new Christmas pajamas, remember why you don’t take the kids shopping, buy more wrapping paper and ribbon, sew angel costume for daughter’s Christmas play, invent shepherd’s costume for  son’s Christmas play, have  snow tires put on, order load of wood for the fireplace, find holiday music CDs, bake cookies and pies and cakes…

…inhale …

daydream out the kitchen window wishing for snow, decorate the front of the house with lights and garland, make new ribbon bows for wreaths, hang wreaths on doors and windows, put one candle in each window, buy oranges and apples and hard candy for kids’ stockings, wrap more presents you’ve spent time shopping for since July, buy mulling spices for apple cider, call Mom to compare shopping lists, shop some more, deck the halls for pete’s sake, buy holiday stamps at the post office, address cards, remember to water the tree, go to the kids’ holiday plays, vacuum up the dead needles under the tree …

…inhale…

buy gift tins for cookies, stock up on flour, sugar, chocolate, nuts and sprinkles, buy the ham, shovel the sidewalk, get in a snowball fight with neighbors, make snow angels, sneak over to the next door neighbor’s and hang a wreath on their fence, catch a cold, throw away a huge pile of catalogs, make a ton of fudge, remind hubby to buy rock salt for the sidewalk, put fresh linens on guest room bed, take the puppy for a drive around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas light displays, put up more lights in the front yard, see if the dog’s winter sweater still fits, see if your holiday sweater still fits, make hair appointment for you and the dog, secure baby sitter for New Year’s Eve, polish the good silver, climb to the cabinet over the refrigerator and get down all three sets of Christmas dishes, wash them, have patience with inlaws, read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to the kids, read the Christmas story from the Bible to the kids, leave out milk and cookies for Santa, leave carrots for the reindeer, stay up late assembling bicycles, remember the reason for the season, pray for peace.