I'm dreaming of a stress-free holiday

As I noted last week, that time of year is upon us. I'm starting to get excited because I am thankfully FINISHED with my shopping (thanks to my trusty Excel workbook that I use every year!). I'm so relieved that I don't have to go out to another store again before Christmas.

This week I am going to wrap our gifts, because I always wait until the last minute to do that and end up staying up late the night before whatever event we are attending the next day where gift-giving is on the agenda. Once the gifts are wrapped, I will embark on a baking EXTRAVAGANZA! I have a number of foodie gifts on my list this year, so I need to prep those but I couldn't do it too early because I want the gifts to be fresh. I also have some food items to prep for our various events next week. This is always the time of year that I remember I need those anti-fatigue mats for the kitchen, as I end up spending hours on end on my feet. If you want to start shopping for next year's Christmas gift for me, go ahead.

I can't believe this past Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent already. That is my favorite Sunday because it is more than a time of preparation - it is a time of celebration and rejoicing for the birth of Christ. The priest wears pink vestments and we light the pink candle, different than all the purples you see during the rest of Advent. This is known as Gaudete (gaw-day-tay)Sunday, which refers to the Latin imperitive for "to rejoice." I hope you too are starting to rejoice in the season and enjoy the miracle of Jesus' birth, rather than getting wrapped up in the holiday hysteria that is easy to submit to.