Trying to gain perspective

Whoever coined the term "Christmas Creep" was a genius. I fight against Christmas moving earlier and earlier every year. Last year when we did our Disney vacation in mid-November, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was already happening (as seen in a previous post, they take down the Halloween Decor and put up Christmas). This year, we went to Hollywood Studios in late October and the whole festival of lights (or whatever) for the holiday show was already set up. It was 90 degrees and sunny and I'm staring at a freakin' life-size Nativity thinking what on earth is going on? Stores have holiday decor and sales so early and parents fight over the "it gift" in October. My co-worker said her stepson desperately wants Bakugan for Christmas this year... whatever that is... and it's already sold out in a lot of places. And hopefully you didn't want Barnes & Noble's new e-reader because it's completely sold out too. I don't even think my aunt could get one for me (she manages a B&N).

With Christmas trying to creep into the fall, I truly tried to avoid it, even leaving my halloween village up until...well, it's still up. Then BAM, it became December. And I got smacked in the face by the holiday spirit. With all my whining about Christmas creep, I really do love the Holiday season. It was like someone flipped a switch in my head and I needed to start shopping and planning and baking and crafting and decorating. And, if I had a little time left over, actually enjoy the holiday season. But then, BAM (again), I realized that this weekend is my only semi-free weekend before Christmas. Let me start with this: I was forced to decided to take a week of vacation both before and after Christmas this year. And yes, it was because I haven't taken much vacation this year and I was going to lose it all. But, instead of devoting that week to baking and crafting, etc., I decided it would be a wonderful time to take a frakking road trip, visiting my cousin in Utah, then cutting through Vegas to L.A. and then tracking back to Flagstaff on historic route 66, arriving in Prescott just in time for Christmas Eve. It sounds pretty awesome except for all the Christmas stuff I have to jam into the next couple of weeks (and the distinct possibility that I will be so broke from Christmas shopping I will have to sleep in my car).

Because all of these realizations just hit me, last night in the craft store I fought the urge to huddle in the corner and cry. I also resolved get a whole bunch of things done last night and get a jump on the weekend. Then crazy things happened (it is kind of a side story, so I'll put it in italics for you).


We come in the garage door and Kaylee runs out, like always, and I go grab her, holding her along with my craft store purchases in my arms. I get inside the door and go to set her down and she leaps out of my arms, entangling herself in the plastic bag I'm carrying, getting it caught around her back legs. This results in a complete mental breakdown and panic attack, and she starts racing at top speed all over the downstairs, tangled in the bag, spewing ribbons, yarn, and other craft supplies all over the place. We thought it was kinda funny until she barreled over Ophelia, smacking her with the bag and royally pissing her off, the whole event culminating in Ophelia attacking her for the first (and hopefully only) full-fledged cat fight those two have ever had. (Despite the bumpy start, they usually get along great). Mike separates them, getting scratched for his trouble and I spend the next 10 min spraying Ophelia to keep her under control and coaxing Kaylee out from under the bookcase.

As a result of this, coupled with the craft store visit, last night was a bust, and I ended up just passing out from exhaustion.

Today, I'm trying to gain perspective (and apparently waste all my work breaks on this really long blog entry):

1. Christmas is about family, friends, enjoying the holiday, etc. It's not about how awesome my homemade hostess gifts are or how many different cookies I can bake before the holiday. I do those things because I enjoy them, but if there isn't enough time, then it's no fun.
   
2. I am pretty organized with the gift giving - Mike and I are using an interactive Google Wave to organize our Christmas shopping. We used to use Google Docs but Mike's work decided to block it. We know what we are getting for people and who is buying what for whom.
   
3. I don't want to sacrifice an opportunity to take this Route 66 Road Trip, something I have been planning for a long time. 
4. I have an elf. My husband is the greatest and he actually likes helping me with craft projects as long as I give him all the stuff and show him what to do. I remember the first time he used my paper cutter to cut the wedding programs and he just kept cutting until 2am because he liked it so much. (Anyone who is thinking he is just placating me doesn't know my husband very well.)
   
5. If it isn't fun, I shouldn't do it. The possible exception to this is the writing of Christmas cards, which I don't especially love, but I do love getting them and you have to give to get. I need to stop stressing out about the photo, though, even though I'm not really a fan of the one my mom is sending out and I probably need to take one for our cards as well. 
6. All crafty projects are fodder for blog posts ;-)
7. This blog post helped. My favorite quote is "I wasn't the victim of this holiday circus, I was the ringmaster"

So, what do you do to put things in perspective and make the holidays more bearable? How do you fit all the fun stuff in?