Holiday stress.....I mean fun.

Christmas is a comin' and the goose is gettin' fat...
please put a penny in the old man's hat...
if you haven't got a penny, then a hay-penny will do...
if you haven't got a hay penny, then god bless you.

...and for all my friends who aren't 100 - a hay penny is half a penny and that's a song that my mom and I would sing for no apparent reason - mainly cause it had an easy tune I could play on the guitar.

but it got me to thinking...that christmas is definatley coming! I know because of the difficulty of planning when and where to see everyone. It's starting already. My friends at work and I had a hell of a time just finding a night for the four of us to go out for dinner. Also - with my family, we have to start early for our xmas plans, as there are the "in-law" families to co-ordinate as well...my brothers' wives need to work around their families too, and aunts and uncles always come for dinner. Throw in my boyfriend's family and there ya have it - just a touch of stress. who's house christmas eve? Who's house christmas day? who's house boxing day? and so on...

But...it won't take away from the excitement I seem to feeling more and more each day. I'm not sure why, but for some reason I'm really looking forward to this holiday season. Has nothing to do with gifts at all - just the thought of getting a tree, and decorating the house and playing christmas music and drinking hot chocolate, and seeing friends and family, etc. I think I might get a menora this year too - and celebrate Hannukah as well. I'm totally into it this year. It's just that little bit of anxiety that comes up when I think about making everyone happy with the schedules - cause i'm a people pleaser you know...I want it all to always work out the best it can for everyone...so I try to plan ahead.

but...if planning ahead is supposed to ease my stress...why does it seem to cause me more? I think this year I should just let everyone else figure things out and I'll just show up where and when I'm supposed to. As long as I have one full day with my family, I'll be happy. (ok...maybe two) ;)