The Horrors of Christmas

Ah, 'tis almost the season of Christmas again! A time of holiday cheer and cherished moments with our loved ones, or at least that's how it's supposed to be.

Unfortunately, for many of us this holiday cheer is not going to happen. Take me, for example. I consider Christmas one of the most hurried and stressed times of the year.   

Let's start with presents. If you're like me, you've waited till the last minute to buy gifts. I wait till the last minute, because my life is simply too busy to do otherwise. Then, when it comes down to the wire, I'm about to pull my hair out. It's not just about buying presents; it's also about what to buy. You start wondering what color it is exactly that your Aunt likes and you crack your brain to figure out what to give your boss this year that she hadn't gotten already. You also have to make sure that your presents don't offend anybody.    

Next on the list is sending Christmas cards to the appropriate people.

And don't even think about not including your family photo this year, or you might hear it again from your relatives, "Can you believe that they still didn't send us a Christmas photo?" Nobody cares that these photos are at least $40+, which is the money you need to buy presents with.    

Then, you have to make sure you call all the important people in your life. Don't even think about not calling your mother during this time of year, lest you don't care being labeled a black sheep of the family. If your parents live overseas, make sure you have a good international long distance plan.    

Nobody can forget the annual going to family functions during the Christmas time. I know that some people enjoy this, but I despise going to family celebrations and reunions more than anything. If you decide to show up, and your potato salad turns out awful, then your family will let you know for years to come. If you do the opposite, such as not showing up, the family will likewise remind you of it for years to come.    

And yes, the holiday travel. How could I forget that? What sucks is that the plane tickets to go anywhere this time of year can get pretty expensive. In order not to break the bank, you have to book them early, again not leaving enough cash for things you really want to spend money on. If that wasn't enough, the airports get really crowded, and the planes get stuffed with people that are just as eager to get somewhere as you are.    

Yes, the Christmas season can easily turn into your worst nightmare with all the shopping, traveling, cooking and family meeting. I think that the best way to deal with the holiday season is to buy all

your presents way ahead, wrap them and tag them, and that way you'll have one thing out of the way when the holiday rush comes. This year I'm going to try real hard to do that, instead of making my way through the crowded mall with a grouchy husband in tow. (Well, I only take him with me to help me pick a present for his mother). Maybe I'll save myself a lot of trouble and give everybody a gift certificate this year- a lot of folks swear by them. That way they can pick their own presents and it saves me a lot of holiday stress as I see it.