Sorry for the typos... Using iPod:)

I can feel my anxiety level rising just thinking about it. I can't do a fraction of what I used to and it makes me feel so useless. I'll get back to you on the plans....I'm just having a painful morning.

We'll forgive you for spellings!
And simple can be just as nice, your too hard on yourself.

Quite and that suits me. There will be 5 of us for dinner. Me, the other half, son and parents.
An extra one on boxing day (my sister) maybe, brothers do their own thing. Might get a couple of others pop their head in for a quick visit.
I'm not not close to my siblings, i live with my parents and i wouldn't even say that we were close.
I am a bit crafty, but i don't make gifts. I guess i never really though about it.
As you know i make my Christmas cake and ive made my own Christmas pudding, i like to make a yuletide log and maybe some Christmas shaped biscuits.
To be honest, now our son has grown up, Christmas seems to have lost that sparkle.

*quiet*
making spelling mistakes myself!

I'm going to have ten grandkids here ( counting steps and..steps-inlaw?)
Eleven if stepdaughter in-law has her baby before induction at first of yr.

I'm thinking of going to Seeks in Australia..:-) :-)

My only role now is to try to not have to lie down while everyone's here...:-)

I might skip Christmas and just give out gifts as I can. Last year was pretty rough and I"m having flashbacks so I gladly signed up for extra work days. It doesn't matter because my 16 year old is going out of town to be with his grandmother and father. My oldest son is a security guard and is working the entire time. We decided to have a get together and I might make a Turkey on Sunday with him and his girlfriend. I might stop in on people. My mother has been nasty all year so I'm not using this day to grovel for her affection. My sister has gone out of her way to exclude and ignore too, so I'm not going to suck up and pretend.

I'm okay with all this actually. Feeling strangely at peace. As long as no one gets up in my face about it, no problem. I painted pictures of my neices new babies and sent them the framed originals. I hope they like my style.

Love reading about your stuff. Can't wait for my chapter of grandbabies.

enigma, i haven't spoken to my mother or sister in weeks myself. they have their own little clique.

i've been invited to my favorite aunts with my cousins. everyone is pretty worn out from this year, so my cousin decided we'll do steaks which is fine with me. i want to make some gifts and appetizers, but today has been beyond thinking level pain. i have some books for some.

if i can pull it together i might make a sugar scrub. i have the lavender soaking in oil.

i used to make tons of gifts and food, but i can barely get myself moving. no decorations. no cards. very little spirit except gratitude for the symbolism.

The movie "Skipping Christmas" is cute. I read the book first and liked it so much better than the movie.

What I get from it is.........when your children are grown it as much fun. I also get that a lot of $$$$$ are spent.
Then there are the traditions and expectations.

If you haven't seen the movie you should it is funny,sad and heartwarming in the end.

I think this time of year is stressful because we can't always keep up with the traditions and expectations we ourself have created.

I won't skip Christmas but I have let a lot go as the years go by. Family time is Christmas Eve. I will either do a ham and trimmings or go to Sam's and buy different finger foods I can pop in the oven. It will depend on pain level. If I am able I will make one batch of Christmas cookies. My mom's sugar cookie recipe. My boys love them with the buttercream icing.

Wishing peace and love to all the hens

hippy

we arent having eneyone over my children are all growen up with kids of there owen so we are going to go visit them one son on christmas eve ware they will be opening gifts we go fo supper and his wife is a wounderfull cook .............that christmass morning we go to wone of our daughters and watch them open gifts and have breakfest ..................that usualy we go to a nother sona for 12 to 3 but this year the two sons are getting together and planing a gettogether so they havent told me what they have planed yet ...............then at newears we go see our other daughter and it is her birthday she was almost a new years baby ..............so we celerbrate both..............inbetween we just take a brake and do what ever we want we have some frends that we have to visit .......................i have to get my head in the right place to handel it all so i kind of stress about it but when the time comes i enjoy my self ..................dixe dont worrie about type os ................i dont have type os i just cant spell and it is a long storie .................i wish you all a wounderfull christmass .....................be happy god bless

The kids and I bake cut out cookies every year. It takes alot out of me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Christmas Day will be spent at home with my husband, son and daughter. It will be the kids first Christmas knowing that "Santa" is really their parents. LOL I assured the kids that Christmas would be just as magical as ever. We always have a nice Christmas dinner where we serve a delicious Kansas City ham.....the kids just love it.


We put up all of our Christmas decorations on Thursday including our Christmas tree. Looking forward to Christmas Day....my favorite holiday ever.

God Bless everyone....I hope that everyone has a safe & happy holiday!

Carrie

we got the children each a box of cholats for christmas and i got them all wraped thats all they get because we have 18 grandchildren to bye for and we are on a fixed income one penchion check comming in .............my brother is comming in from out od towen so i am looking forward to seeing him and his family .............and two of his daughters will be brining there boy frends i havent met ................i have to make a potato salid and letus salad and everyone is going over to my brothers it will be fun.to see everyone .............we just got our tree up last night and i finished decorating today ........now all i have to do is get presents for my puppy he just loves to open gifts on christmass ...........he doesent touch the gifts untill we tell him he can look for his givts and than he starts smelling the presents ...............and if he doesent know if it is his he will put his paw on it and we tell him yes or no ....................we get him a socker ball every year and he busts it open with in 15 minits he loves to chew it apart he will keep it till there is nothing left but we take out the rubber inside so he cant chock on it .................enjoy your december .............god bless