12 Dayszzzzz

I have been up tonight starting my Christmas gift plans. STARTING.

We are doing the 12 days of Christmas with the kids again this year...one of my steps toward moving some of the gifting away from Christmas and celebrating the Christmas season as such. And what does this look like? One present Christmas morning. And another the next day, and another, building up through the 12th day. On that night the kids set out their shoes and look forward to the "big" present that is for all of them to share.

My hope is to have Advent be Advent, and not Christmas. Christmas starts at Christmas! I have ceded some points, though; we have decorated and lit our tree, for example (I have never not had this happen before Christmas. But one day...heh heh heh...). Anyway, as you might imagine, the 12 days can take some planning and hunting down. I had some vague memory of things in closets (as well as a couple of visuals) and tonight after the children were in bed I started pulling things out.

Are you KIDDING me? I have enough for Pixie. Her Christmas morning gift and the Epiphany gift remain, that's it. I had enough random things picked up at book sales, church sales, Target's $1 spot, etc. There were more things than I would like to admit in there that we had moved out here from Wheaton. Absolutely ridiculous. [moment of silence for Wheaton church sales, Springbrook Market, and Aldi].

I'm not far off on the boys, either. It took an hour or so to pull things out, divide, and schedule, but all of a sudden I'm really, really close on the kids. And without feeling like I've spent any money. I'm just very excited (and a little ashamed, but I'll just admit it and move on).

Now...what to get J for Christmas? And our anniversary, for that matter? We try to do the "traditional" anniversary gift theme, which has led to some fun/ny gifts (leather, year three fruit (4), and candy(6)). This year the category is "steel."

What are your Christmas plans? How are they going?