Bring on the Coal...

Trying to shake off my inner grinch with some help from Mahalia Jackson. Lay some O Holy Night on me sister—I’m just not feeling it this year.

Must admit that I've been doing my share of pouting AND crying: broke, sleep deprived, cranky and dealing with a little girl with a gnarly case of diaper rash. As usual, I waited til the last minute to do my Christmas shopping and missed the deadline for super saver shipping on Amazon. And of course, we don’t have our tree up yet.

There’s nothing like a holiday to reinforce one’s sense of inadequacy. My sister, a highly educated, well-paid, very busy working mother (who hardly cooks), turns into Martha Stewart at Christmas. Every year, she’s on top of it all--cookies, lights, perfect tree with perfect presents, all wrapped perfectly. Meanwhile, I’m a housewife and can’t seem to get it together in the slightest. Christian and I have always been pretty lax as far as the holidays are concerned. Our classic slacker moves include putting the tree up on the 25th, forgetting about the stockings, leaving un- or partially wrapped gifts under the tree. Nobody really cared. Until now.

This year, our firstborn is totally with the program. Up to speed on Santa Claus and the eight tiny reindeer, stockings hung by the chimney with care etc. Fortunately, he is still pretty much TV-free and therefore somewhat in the dark about the innumerable quantities of plastic junk to be had. So far, he has asked for a polar bear and a toy boat he spotted in one of his I Spy books. I’m a minimalist and, in many ways, allergic to consumer bullshit, but I still worry that I have failed to find the perfect well-crafted, stimulating toys my kids deserve. Still, I have only the mildest qualms about giving my kids some second hand stuff this year. Hank’s also re-getting a toy he received last year but which got put away unopened amidst the madness.

We are keeping it pretty simple, but I still find it all overwhelming (only one minor breakdown so far, I’m happy to report). For some reason, I volunteered to have lunch here on Christmas day so I have to get my household chaos under control on top of everything else. I’ve insisted on potluck, which has me feeling a little guilty, but I know my limits. My in-laws have decided to bail this year and are taking a cruise, which leaves me at once disappointed and relieved. It feels odd not having them around at Christmas, but it’s refreshing to only have to deal with the holiday quirks of one side of the family.

Anyway, still nursing the babe so have to take it easy on the eggnog, but I’ve got Ella’s Swingin Christmas on iTunes and sugar cookies with sprinkles. Getting together with some favorite old friends on the 24th. And Coco, thank heaven, still has no clue what’s going on.