Bah - blooming - humbug

this is my once a year blog,
my 'yuck its the jolliness of the yuletide again' blog,
my 'I can't talk about how I REALLY feel about Christmas' blog
my 'is it nearly over yet' blog
my 'surely I haven't started another blog' blog!

Can you sense a theme here? I don't really enjoy this time of year. I am not a total Ebenezer, we have a whopping tree, lovely presents, good food, time with family and friends and the odd trip to church.

But I do find the whole thing so blooming stressful. Spending money we don't have, visiting relatives who find 5 of us a strain, getting 'gee what an interesting gift' gifts, and eating too much food.

despite promising ourselves we wouldn't do it this year - AGAIN, we have!

So next year will be a season of restraint and our gifts to others will be either kirstymade or printable (ethical gifts, bought on line and printed out) cards will be handmade or E-cards and any wrappings needed will be kirstymade cloth bags - there I have said it out loud so that's what will have to happen!

So far I have been fairly restrained and not bought loads in the sales, usually I can be seen buying most of next years gifts, paper and cards. so far I have only bought imminent birthday presents and one solitary box of Christmas cards ( I panicked OK?!)
Actually I am looking forward to improving on my knitting/sewing/crafting skills although I am not sure all our family and friends will appreciate the thought and ethos behind it as they don't all think like us, but ho-hum to them!

The other thing I am determined to NOT do next year is have a horrible new year, every year I see in the NY on my own. Husband works - the money is too good not to - but next year (actually the year after!) I am going to arrange a shindig for friends and family for New Years Day. So maybe I won't feel so sad a lonely!

this could be the last entry in this blog until the next yuletide starts.
so for now have a Happy New year
I hope 2008 is a happy, healthy and prosperous
for all of us