This is why I try to do most of my holiday shopping online! People and crowds this time of year tend to annoy me really bad.
I used to work at a large chain grocery store and I deliberately worked on the holidays just so I could double my income! The store was open for shorter hours on the 24th and 26th. Both days I got double time. The store was closed Christmas and had it been open I would have gotten double time and a half like other stat holidays.
Now that I have a family, Christmas is very low key. My husband never really had good Christmas Holidays. They were always lame and he got presents he couldn't use, so it was just a waste. The only good part for him was the fancy meal on Christmas Day. So because of this he's not really into Christmas, plus we don't like how it's been monopolized so much by retailers. I'm not much for Christmas either, but I do it for our kids.
The only decorating we really do is just the tree and maybe a few other things put up in the living room. Nothing too extravagant! With a large pup, and a 2-year-old who thinks everything belongs to her, large amounts of decorations is just asking for trouble. My daughter has already broken a few ornaments this year. Two were glass and other ones she broke the top plastic piece so I can't hang them back onto the tree.
My girls don't get piles and piles of toys and things they don't really need. It's usually books, movies, a couple of toys they've been wishing for and some things they need. This year they're each getting electric rechargeable toothbrushes, PJs, winter hats, coloring books, and some chocolates and treats for their stockings. Normally I place a rather large order with the Disney Movie club but I forgot about it until it was too late and they wouldn't have arrived on time.
We open our presents on the 24th after supper and take Christmas pictures in front of the tree. On the 25th we usually have a turkey dinner. Sometimes depending on the weather and my husband's work schedule we'll go out to his parents place for a couple of days or even just a day.
This year is going to be difficult for us. It's our first Christmas without Mouse, and just putting up her ornament that I got her last year was heartbreaking. This will also be Kai's first Christmas, so I'm hoping the sadness will be offset by Kai's craziness for all his toys and treats. Kai is getting spoiled this year!
My kids are counting down the days until Christmas!