Some Christmas Musings and an Altered Box

Confession time here. I am horrible at Christmas. Inherently being bad at Christmas got passed along to my kids somehow genetically. If I really think hard about why, I think we're not good at the whole thing due to everyone having birthdays in Oct. and Nov. so by the time it rolls around, everyone has their wish list filled. NOT that getting gifts is the reason for the holiday, but, let's face it. If you are 11 and 9, it is a HUGE deal still. Big people like me and THE MAN want to make it special, but wracking our brain to come up with something clever is not working for us this year. And as far as buying gifts for each other, that hasn't been done for years. We used to buy something for "the house" but having moved and leaving all those lovely specially picked out lighting fixtures it kind of lost it's interest.

Last night at supper, I brought up some small things that we could do to celebrate.

Topic one:  What kind of Christmas cookies do you want to make?

Kids:  Chocolate Chip. 

Me: Um we can make those, but we can make them anytime. Is there any other special ones you'd like?

Kids:  Blank Looks.
Me:  There are a lot of kinds of Christmas cookies besides chocolate chips....what about sugar cookies. 

Kids:  Santa eats chocolate chip cookies. 

Me:  Um, OK, but you don't believe in Santa anymore, you told me.

Gave up on that topic with the decision I was making the kind I liked and I'd just do more Zumba.

Topic two: Advent Calendar

Me:  HEY guys, I got this advent calendar I plan on making this weekend. (Yes, I am behind, but at least I'll have it done for next year.) What do you want to fill it with?

Lexi:  Gift cards to Walmart and iTunes. 

Me: Um, I was kind of thinking chocolate. 

Gave up on that idea with the theory that I would fill it with chocolate. Maybe some coupons of things they liked to do...sigh.

Topic three: THE TREE

Me: OK, well, who wants to decorate the tree? (Traditionally THE MAN and I compromise here). He detests decorating the tree, so I always offer to decorate it with the kids and he buys the gifts.

Lexi:  Can we just skip a tree this year?

Me: (twitching) Um why?

Lexi:  We always break the ornaments, and besides, think of what the cats will do to it. 

I gave up.

This incidentally is why one year the tree STAND (not the whole tree) ended up on the front lawn. I had gotten a whole passle of totes out full or ornaments and the tree stand and was trying to enlist THE MAN into helping put up the tree. The kids were LITTLE then. Super little. Like one was a baby and the oldest was too helpful. (So helpful it was the year we put a fence around the tree to keep her safe). Feeling overwhelmed and overtired, the tree stand went out the front door in a fit of anger. Of course, it is the same metal one we use today, so it just bounced. I did feel better though. 

I keep that event in the back of my mind when I get feeling the Christmas Crazies. You know, the kind you feel when you open one of those pretty magazines and the perfectly decorated cookies match the perfect tree and the whole family is wearing matching outfits? 

I did win on the stocking front though. My idea was for each family member to buy/make two thoughtful small gifts a piece for the other family members. KEY word here was thoughtful. My son told me that he was planning on getting me lipstick (he means chapstick here) and drilling a hole in it so he could attach a hook so I wouldn't keep losing it. NOW, THAT is thoughtful. 

Alright, my altered box was made to fill with goodies. Last year I made several baskets filled with locally made projects for some folks I know who also seem to have everything. I content myself buying locally and add a bit of creativity amongst the jellies and locally made chocolates and it seems to work.

Love the front of it and how cracked it turned out! This box previously housed hot coco. So, I had to peel off the label and add some color. I blogged about it previously in this POST if you would like to try something similar.