December: Where's the Year Gone?

And so, we've reached December, and only 24 shopping days till Christmas. As usual, my sister and Joe are here to help me string lights and decorate the house. We are thinking of going to cut down live pines today as well, which I'll stick in some water until I'm ready to decorate it. Due to my mom's pine allergies, we never put up a tree until around December 20th when I was growing up and I find that if I put one up any earlier, I tend to get sick of it after a couple weeks and want to take it down.

So for now, I'll put up a few decorations here, a few there, and eventually it will all add up. Two weeks from now is the annual Kosior Cookie (or is that Cookies Kosior?) extravaganza. I plan to make a pile of cookies--ginger snaps, chocolate chips, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, chocolate almond thumbprints, chocolate raspberry bars, magic cookie bars, sugar cookies and probably a few things I haven't thought of. I like to eat Christmas cookies, sure, but I also like to give them and this year I have a lot of social things towards the end of the month where I need to contribute cookies. So that's the plan.

My shopping is not close to done yet. But I suppose I take after my dad in that regard--wait till the last minute. Nothing I want to get anyone falls under the category of "traditional" gift, so I'm not too worried about. The main thing I have to get to now is Christmas cards. I have been woefully lax the last 2 years, really paring down our list, but I think I can handle it. This is probably the least bit stressed about the holidays I have ever been.

What does make me sad is that NaNo is over and I met my 100 book goal. The really sad thing with NaNo is that when I'm procrastinating on writing, I tend to do things I've put off. Like, I re-organized all my books, made all the lists that give meaning to my life, finished book #100 on my reading list, caught up with friends, put up my photo galleries from our trips, etc. I know that if I hadn't done those things, I'd be freaking out, but I'm a bit at loose ends!

Still, I know I'll be busy enough shortly and grateful for these quiet moments before the insanity. Hope everyone out there is feeling peaceful this morning too.