Seasonal Musings

I always complain like so many other people about how early retailers put out their Christmas goods. Yet, here I am again with Christmas less than two weeks away and I'm unprepared.

This past weekend I accomplished a few things. The house is finally decorated. The tree is up but not decorated. The children insist on all being present to participate in that and it's very difficult to get that scheduled. But it's worth the wait to have all the good-nature arguing and teamwork that does into that. They all have their favorite ornaments that they must put on. There have been years when we didn't decorate the tree under the 23rd.

Another obligation was an extended family gathering on my husband's side. It was calm and fun, lots of good food.  A third thing was the start of plans for my daughter-in-law's baby shower. Male readers might not agree, but I love a baby shower. They're so hopeful and filled with joy.

The only shopping I've done so far is bring in packages from the front porch and the mailbox. The rest should arrive this week.

Book outline is not very far along but I'm going to work on it this week. Cold weather brought a bit of snow, a dusting, this weekend. I DON'T like it.

I read an interesting stat in Writer's Digest Yearbook. In 2015, 54% of ebook purchasers use their phone to read books at least some of the time. I do that sometimes when I'm waiting at the dentist's or doctor's. I would guess that lots of people read the news on their phones. My husband does this now after fighting about getting a smart phone.

Another mention in WD Yearbook was how adult coloring books actually accounted for the 3% increase in print book sales in 2015. Does that count? I'm sure you've heard the thoughts of how coloring is a good stress reliever for adults. Not my thing.

Are you ready for the holidays? Any gatherings you must attend? Do you read on your phone? Are you into the coloring book trend?

The Best Christmas Ever

As the big day nears, I start to worry a little bit that my children will have a good, or better, a great Christmas. The past few years, even when the budget was tight, have been filled with fun as the family just enjoys the time together. Our three oldest sons live on their own now, one with a wife, one with a daughter and one with his girlfriend. Because they now have other families to consider during holiday celebrations, we started having our big family get together the day before Christmas. The gifts exchanged don't even matter. We just have a great six hours or so together. Then Christmas morning, we exchange gifts with the three children still living under our roof and eat leftovers from the day before.

Those of you who have children know that as they get older, they have very specific requests for holiday gifts. I still try to surprise them with something I know they'll love even if they haven't asked for it. Usually it's not something that expensive. I hope as they start their own families they remember Christmas days that were unforgettable.

As a child, our large family worked hard on a family farm. Money was tight but my parents managed to pay for our college with all of us doing our share of the farming. Usually for Christmas, we received mostly clothing and one gift that was a toy. The best Christmas ever for me as a kid was the year my parents bought my little brother, my very best friend at the time, and me Red Ryder BB guns. I can't tell you the hours we traveled the farmlands and woodlands hunting with our BB guns. We never shot anything except targets but we felt like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, tracking and sneaking around. I'll never forget that time.

What makes your current Christmas celebrations unforgettable? What was your most memorable Christmas as a child? Have you started or continued any family traditions at your house? Don't forget to visit IWSG today and check out the winners from the contest.