About Christmas

Mike, the amazing husband and father that he is, is gone this time of the year. He works a seasonal job on top of his full time job so that we're able to pad the boys' Christmas gifts each year. He's working his behind off, clocking in somewhere around 70 hours each week.

With him gone all of the time, it's just the boys and I day after day, evening after evening. I'm burnt out from not having a co-pilot around the house. But it'll be worth it in the long run, that I'm sure.

You see, even with Mike working all of these incredible hours that he is this time of the year, he and I don't exchange Christmas gifts with one another. Most people think we're crazy, but he and I would rather put any extra money that we have towards something else, like buying an extra little something for each of the boys, throwing a bit extra in the offering at church, or buying something fancy for the Christmas feast we'll have at the house. I suppose you'd call it a tradition.

Although last year we attempted to break that tradition and buy each other a gift. He purchased me a digital video camera that took the crappiest videos ever and I bought him a fancy remote controlled Jeep which broke with it's first use. Needless to say we returned both and pooled the money that we spent on each other to buy a fancy toaster oven, something that we use all the time.

Oh Christmas ... why am I writing about Christmas when Thanksgiving is still a week away? Maybe because with Mike working all of the time, specifically to make that day more special, it's put me in the frame of mind that I need to be in to think of lit up trees and tinsel. Or maybe it's because the department stores have been shoving it down my throat since September. Either way, I suppose it's here now.

This year, I doubt Mike and I will attempt to really surprise each other with gifts. And this year, I'm sure will be filled with love and laughter, no matter how many presents are under the tree.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder why we stress ourselves out over Christmas, my own family included. It seems like we all spend six months in preparation for just 24 hours. We're great at attempting to put money away to buy the very best presents, or we start creating things now to have the most wonderfully decorated tree and house.

Really all we need to do is come together as a family and celebrate our Savior's birth. Because without Him, we'd have nothing.

So this year, one month and one week early, I'm vowing to take back Christmas. No more stress, only celebration!