A new Christmas deadline

Most people have a holiday deadline of December 24th. If you're like my husband, you do your Christmas shopping December 22nd and feel like you got done early. I, on the other hand, shop for Christmas gifts all year long. A little here, and little there, so we won't be b.r.o.k.e. by January.

This year, it's my family's turn to have us for Thanksgiving- this means, since we won't be there come December, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving AND Christmas. I'm also going to be up there a week before Thanksgiving, which means I need to do all of my shopping for my family by November 17th.

You would say: "Well at least you have the rest of the month to do your in-law Christmas shopping, Carrie!" But that's not entirely true either. Scott's siblings rotate giving to each other and this year we are giving to Scott's brother's family who just moved to an out-of-the-way place that costs a million dollars to ship to. Then I found out they will be visiting around Thanksgiving (no one follows the in-law/family schedule but Scott and I now) at the precise time that I will be in Boise. To avoid spending the same amount of money on shipping as I did on the gifts, I need to have THEIR gifts put together by November 17th, before I leave, as well.

I'm a little overwhelmed by all of it, but looking on the bright side: I will have a very minimal amount of Christmas shopping to do once the rush starts! I'm happy about this since it means that Scott and I can focus more on experiencing Christmas this year, rather than buying it. Last year we were in the middle of finishing up a semester, moving and traveling- this year it will be a lot slower pace. More time to come to know the reason for the season.

So excuse me if I seem to rushing through Thanksgiving- I got Christmas on the brain and a deadline 11 days from now.