Getting the Christmas Spirit

It was a quiet day at work today, for which I was grateful.

I decided today that it was time to do some serious Christmas shopping. Usually I am way done by now, but the last two years I have had a bit of a problem getting motivated. I was down to 7 gifts, then had to add two more to the list. I am happy to say I am now down to three; and one of those is a cake I'm baking for Miss Helen. A bunch of it was stuff that I just had to do online and for some reason hadn't gotten around to doing. I did it today.

I read a story today about Country Santa, and it just broke my heart. Apparently they are having problems this year. This is a small local charity that I gave toys to last year through a local auction I was going to, but I haven't been going this year. After I read the story, I was able to find them online and donate some money. I also put out the critter-call to the Kindred and some of my friends. This is the kind of thing that I am very uncomfortable doing. I know my friends work hard for their money, and I feel it is a very personal thing to talk to people about. That really shocks people I work with. I am probably one of the most compartmentalized people I know. Sometimes I think I have to be more of a hard-ass at work to cover up the squishy inside. Plus, at work, it's money people have borrowed, and many people I talk to are actually taking advantage of my company. I actually had one guy tell me "I'm holding off paying all my vendors as long as possible to maximize my cash flow position." I don't have a problem leaning on someone like that. But asking someone I know for personal money is very different. To me, anyway.

For some reason, doing for others is what really gets me in the spirit. No matter how bah humbug I am, I can give a little money to charity and feel wonderful. This is the one time of the year I wish I was rich. I saw so many nice things that I would like to be able to buy for my friends, and I know the little bit I can give doesn't do much. But it makes me feel like I've done something. I guess that's a selfish reason to give. But I'm honest about it anyway. I am such a soft touch around the holidays. I cried at some cell phone commercial last night.

I stopped by The Peppermill tonight to get my annual gift certificate for Dad and Eve. That's what they want, and it saves me from the nightmare of having to find a present for my dad for Christmas. His birthday is Dec 19th, and I just think having to buy two presents for that man in the same month has to be outlawed somewhere in the Geneva Convention. While I was there, I got some of their scrumptious spinach salad for dinner (a double order, actually, but it is a side salad) and stuffed myself when I got home. I don't know what's in that dressing, but it's fucking addictive.

Speaking of birthdays. My Mom's is this month too, just because life is that way for me. Actually, hers was on the 6th. Last Saturday. Which I remembered, for some reason, as I put the key in the door to lock it this morning on my way to work. Fuck. I completely dropped the ball. I called her, and fortunately, Rod (God bless the Rod) had stepped up to the plate for me. He took her to Gatlinburg last weekend, and they even had snow. So it was pretty much perfect. I am so glad. Of course Mom was really nice about it.

I always feel extra guilty when I forget Mom's birthday. It was in December, and she was the middle child, so I know her birthday got shoved to the side a lot. One year my grandmother was making her a dress, and didn't want her to see it until it was done. Her brilliant idea of a distraction was sending Mom out to rake leaves all afternoon on her birthday. Of course she was very upset and spent the afternoon crying. Remembering that I felt like an extra shit-heel today. Rod remembered, Lisa remembered - even her fucking co-workers called her. So she heard from everyone but me. I apologized profusely on the phone and sent her the big flowers when I got to work. I figured that was the least I could do. At least I came through on her 60th. That was a decade-starter, and she wasn't dating anyone then. Dad's birthday I don't feel as bad about, because he was the oldest, and his mom made a big deal out of birthdays, so he probably didn't have it as rough as my mom did, even though his is closer to Christmas. Plus, Dad's birthday now is when we do Christmas with Lisa and her family now, so he kind of has his own holiday to celebrate his birth as well.

Anyway, we're doing Christmas this weekend with Lisa and her family, so that means I have wrap presents at some point, which I just hate. I love buying them. I just HATE wrapping them. I also need to work on Christmas cards, which I promised myself I would send this year. And I'm out tomorrow night with Marvin. So I guess I need to get my reindeer butt in motion...