It's official: I'm a Scrooge

Okay, I kind of hate to blog this because I think I am on my own with this one . . . but I am SO happy that the holidays are over. To be honest I would say that I probably dread the last three months of the year. There are good parts to each holiday but by in large I simply dread the whole of it. ((If you don't want to read my complaining - please just skip this post!!!))

Let's see:

Halloween: First of all I don't like sugar or candy. And this holiday wouldn't be so bad but for the excess of everything -- I'm okay with kids having some candy. It would be great it they could get some candy, say thanks, eat it, and it's all over with -- but greediness and gluttony cannot be avoided here. The kids turn into candy monsters and get bossy and nasty about it and turn into crazy tornadoes on candy. I do love the cute dressing up of it all, though.

Thanksgiving: This holiday is probably the nicest of the bunch - D & I get so little time together, let alone relaxing time together -- sometimes we are able to catch a few hours together here. Although Tday usually coincides with his bday and an ISU game. So we only have one or two days of vacation at the most. Although I don't mind traveling very much for Turkey Day, it's not that big of a hassle: drive wherever, eat, drive home. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Christmas:I actually have quite a few issues with this holiday. This is where family drama mama comes in (i.e. whose turn is it, but the whole family will be there except you guilt trip, etc.) oh and traveling in the weather combined with living out of suitcases and having to pack around presents and live out of suitcases- blech. And then groceries cost extra for the month, and most of the traditions are heaped on mom's shoulders so the mom is just working her booty off and working twice as hard during the holidays than any other time. Oh and the goody plates-these things are a LOT of work. I always try to get out of it but D LURVES this tradition. I'm okay with some snacks but during this month there is just junk food everywhere.

Then there's the presents {sigh} I was Secret-Santa'd a lot growing up. And we Secret Santa'd in return quite a few times and we loved it. So in Iowa two years ago we decided DLnI would get one present each and then we'd take $250 and spend it all on one family in our ward. I was so excited and thought it was so fun - that family of four got more presents than I ever did as a kid growing up . . . and then I was talking my friend (we were all in the same ward) and my friend had asked the mom how her Christmas was and the mom just complained about all the presents. I was ticked - and I'm still dealing with the aftermath of that. I know that I should give gifts without any expectation of gratitude in return, but ughhh that killed me. The funny thing is I don't have any problem with Santa or the whole presents thing - I think it's a fun and magical part of childhood that shouldn't be skipped . . . but the key is how one responds to presents.

Maybe it's because the holiday comes right after D's three months of working 70 hours a week and he gets vacation but we can't actually relax and just enjoy the holiday or even spend time together. This break D got quite a few days off over the two weeks, but there weren't any days that we could relax around the house, play games, watch movies, and just enjoy each other's company. If we weren't at family's house, Darik had to do Elder's Quorum or ISU games, etc. etc.

This year was extra hard because the foster kids were supposed to be with their mom for 10 days - well some things have come up in their case and they are not sure she will get them back or can have any visits. So all of a sudden instead of 12 days straight just DLnMe, we've got them the whole time even Christmas morning (and I'd already was done with my Christmas budget and I now have 2 kids Christmas aside from the 2-3 things each I'd already got for them). So we go out and get a Christmas for them. Then the dept says just kidding - their mom can have them Christmas Eve night. So now I hand over what I just got for them to her (which was this year's version of Secret Santa), and the kids are dropped off at the in-laws (where we were) the next day with no luggage (clothes, etc). And ever since Christmas the foster kids have been crazy - their mom kept all their presents so all they want to do is play with Ellie's stuff and I am finally fed up with them breaking all of her stuff so I'm trying to stop them and it's not working and they're bored and fighting and driving me nuts, etc. etc.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I love Christmas traditions that bring the Spirit and ones that are easy and simple and fun. But what is fun about creating so much stress in your life you (or anyone around you) can't just relax and enjoy the holiday or each other? It doesn't make sense to me. So yes, I do cry the day I take the tree down - tears of joy!