Toys in Every Store

I come downstairs in the morning with Martha, walk into the kitchen, grab a cup for my coffee and load the Keurig. While waiting for my coffee I look across the room and ask: “Alexa, how many days until Christmas?” Alexa answers and tells me we have 39 days until Christmas Day, I grab my cup and smile… It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Next week is Thanksgiving and that’s where my Christmas starts. The tree goes up on Friday and our house gets dressed up for my most favorite time of the year. I haven’t given much thought to the turkey yet, I know I’ll be able to find one or even order it on Amazon. I haven’t chosen the soup and have no idea whether it’s going to be wild mushroom, carrot ginger or maybe butternut squash with truffle cream. I don’t know yet. Stuffing will be as stuffing always has been, and the kiddos have already given their votes for apple and pumpkin pies for this year. Yesterday Amazon brought me a new turkey baster as the 15 year one was starting to fall apart and today it will be joined by its counterpart the gravy separator. It’s all gonna be good. I have no stress over Thanksgiving as it’s another favorite for me, it will come together, it always does and exactly a week from now, I should be cooking with a mimosa on my side.

If I haven’t even started on Thanksgiving, Christmas is an entirely different deal and I’m running out of good spots in the garage to hide stuff. I start early and do most of my holiday shopping online way before the national shopping days. I’m lurking for holiday wrapping papers and red ribbon at Target a few weeks too early and love spending a couple of hours wrapping, wrapping and wrapping. I’m just such a corky holiday person, all excited over the Elf on the Shelf even if my kids well know that I’m the one moving the elf around the house, but I just love, love, love planning on all the mischief our elf gets into and now that the kids are bigger it’s even more fun! And you know, who knows if Santa is real or not?

But it’s not all about my family and I, it’s also the time of helping those in need and I’m working on a Pantry Pack food drive for the school, toy drive for the Girl Scout troop and my office will be hosting the 18^th annual Toys for Tots event in the beginning of December. For past 15 years we have donated thanksgiving meals to families in need and included the kids in making the holidays better for everyone.