This Saturday is October 31st, Halloween. This just starts the wildness for our family. Not only is there Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, but we have 6 birthdays and 2 anniversaries in between. This is certainly our party time of the year.
Oh yes, we also have a Harvest Party for friends and family in mid November, only about 50 people. Think I’m getting busy yet?
When I sit down and think about all the things I want to do between now and then I feel pretty overwhelmed. I like to have everything planned out. What we are going to eat and drink, who sits where, and the gifts, oh those gifts. Each one must be perfect for each person. Searching for the right gift is one of the hardest things for me to do. Then the wrapping and bows and cards. Wow that is a lot of work.
Seeing the smiles on our grand children’s faces makes it all worthwhile. I love the holidays, no matter how tired I get.
It’s what you do when you love your family and friends. You create memories together.
Like the first time I baked a turkey and left the
inners in the cavity. Turkey looked perfect and tasted great.
Or the time I peeled 10 lbs of potatoes and shoved all the skins down the disposal and it jammed up. One of my guests needed to take the sink apart to clean it out. What a mess. Mean while, one of the younger children said “is that pan suppose to have fire coming out of it?”
Or another Christmas day when it had rained for several days and the ground was like a sponge. When my brother came over and parked in the side yard, before they could get out of the car it was sinking up to the floor boards. He had to call to get it towed back out to the street. In Christmas cheer, we gave the tow truck driver a plate of Christmas cookies.
Or the Aunt that only offers to help after everything was done. Now we all take a turn being that Aunt and have a good time with it.
I could go on and on with funny antidotes about crazy things that happen during the holidays. I am sure you have your favorites to retell each year also.
Each year I vow to do better this time of the year. Be better prepared. Have the gifts purchased or made in a reasonable time. (Not waiting till the last minute to get creative.) I promise not to spend as much money, because it isn’t the cost of the gifts, but the thought behind it. Each year I do the same as I did the previous year.
Just a thought, maybe I should concentrate more on making memories with everyone instead of having everything so perfect. (Not that it is perfect). How about teaching our children or grand children that it’s not about the number of gifts they open each year.
I’m slowly going in this direction, giving a gift of experiences instead of toys that fall apart.
Here are a few of the gifts that I have given that were really a big hit with the families:
- Yearly family passes to the zoo or children’s hands on museum.
- Kayaking gift certificate.
- Movie or circus tickets.
Look around at what is going on in your area or their area if they don’t live near you. I am sure you can come up with some wonderful ideas.
Last year I created a scavenger hunt for each of my son-in-laws before they found their gifts. They had a good time with it and the kids really liked seeing their dads having to play the game. Now they have vowed to get me back this year. Oh well, we will see about that.
What kind of fun gifts have you given in the past? Share with us.
