It may or may not be Christmas.

I know you're going to be shocked by this, but I am that annoying person who has matching bows, coordinating papers, tags, the whole Martha Stewarty shebang... usually under the tree for weeks before the actual day.  I am a freak and have been since high school when my sister and I would plan together.  I have enough ornaments in different colors to even coordinate the tree to whatever my choice of papers might be.  Mantle filled with garland and three stockings hung with care.  Holiday centerpiece on the table and Christmas cards mailed just after Thanksgiving and usually a party or two or three thrown in the mix.  Oh yeah, I am THAT girl.  Or was. 

Not this year.  This year I am being purposeful in my Christmas and on a MUCH smaller scale.  We're not doing gifts for our siblings and the gifts we are doing are much more personal and lovely in nature.  The tree is up with whatver ornaments and garland I pulled out of the box.  I am using every single Christmas paper that I already own {you should SEE the wrapping paper stash} even if that means there will be golds and plaids and bright modern papers all mixed into one jumble.  It might mean I'll have the shakes, but I am going to embrace the imperfections uniqueness.  Dave is calling it the "Best Of Christmas Past" and he cheered when I told him the plan.  There is not a doubt in my mind why I married that man.

Speaking of Dave, he and I are scaling back on gifts for each other too, mostly because we spent more on U2 tickets than I usually do on plane tickets to practially be sitting on Bono's lap in June.  That sounds way more fun to me than a sweater or a cd or a pedicure... though you know my toes will be done to see Bono.  When you're struggling to come up with a list of things you would love to own, chances are you probably don't need a whole lot.  I have seriously never been more content in the things that we have, the life that we live, I feel like we don't want for much and I'm really kind of over filling my house with stuff that I'm not super in love with.  Plus, I was maybe sort of a bitch to him last year on Christmas eve because he didn't put much thought into gifts and I was feeling overloaded and our Finnegan tried to actually take money OUT of the collection basket at the children's mass and there were 900 people and WAY too much hurrying and rushing. 

I just don't want time with my family to be about that this year.

This Christmas is about Finnegan, about family, and about friends.  You know... my three other favorite F words.  I am participating in a fantastic cookie exchange with my girlfriends, I am only sending Christmas cards {late} to my family, and we're slowing it all down.  Dave and I are really lucky that we have three grandmothers to dote on, plus my unbelievable great aunt in her 90s, amazing families, a child who is too young to be absorbed with {plus we try our damnedest to keep him unaware of} the commercialism.  There will be years for ZhuZhu pets, but this isn't one of them. 

For now, I've been oogling all kinds of loveliness all over the blogosphere and delighting in reading about, but not keeping up with, the Joneses.  What does your Christmas look like this year?


And pssssst.... after Christmas, I'll be back in full {crazy} force with a fabulous non-traditional baby shower {because cocktail parties aren't for babies} for two of my favoritest girls in the whole wide world.  This one *may* have involved me flying back special supplies from California and I can not wait to share it with you.