'citing!

I am so excited about christmas. Even through my head bursting ear splitting misery I am able to think of christmas morning and feel that belly flipping glee.

I was talking to a mum at playschool and she asked me what Eli was having for christmas and all I could think of was Scooby doo socks. For a split second I felt stupid and then I didn't because I know he has more than the socks but if he didn't he would still have the best time.
The mum did tell me about some great deals at Argos and I was almost drawn into getting some, the thing is, to me, christmas is absolutely about gifts as well as everything else but it's about the right gifts. I know my boys would have a blast with the toys in Argos, for about 20 minutes and then they would become something else for me to fall over and pick up and swear at...so I left them where they are. Good.

I can't remember quite what my kids have because I have been buying it and hiding it for so long, they are mostly wrapped so it will be a lovely suprise for me on the morning too, because I have the memory of a goldfish.
I know that Seth has at least 2 gifts that he will adore and not put down for at least 3 months, I know Isaac has his hearts desire, which is KNEX with white pieces, Eli has his socks.
I also found a present for Seth that will make his christmas and mine and H's. It's one of these....



in fact it is that exact same one.

Both H and I had one of these when were about 6, I sat for hours making tags with my name, twist, click, turn, click, cut and stick. My name was on everything, whether it belonged to me or not, I put my name on it. Seth puts his name on everything. I suspect H and I will try and sneak a go with this dymo, memories are the best things aren't they?
I was in despair while looking for one of these because everything we found was computerised and refill tapes were such a stupid and unrealisitic price we weren't going there, not even for memories. I wanted it to be the twist and turn and click type that keeps little people busy with tongue out in concentration for many hours, I wanted the peel off tape.....this one comes with 4 refill tapes, marvellous, E bay of course. Wins every time!
I told the big kids there were no stockings this year for them....Jordan was very brave and said he didn't care as he will be at work anyway and bah humbug bloody christmas.

Sophie wept and begged for a while ( or 3 days)

They do have stockings of course, because they are my children and they still live here......they are grown up stockings though and not huge. They will be crackly though because a stocking isn't a stocking unless it crackles when you stick your foot out and feel it on the end of your bed.

H has nothing on the day, I bet I cave and give him something to unwrap even though he has a glorious new mattress and a week away in february....I remember when my dad would have a teeny little pile of gifts when I was little, it made me cry every year, I couldn't believe he didn't mind at all.

As far as I know, Sophie is the only person to have done anything for me so far, she has been like me, buying and wrapping since July...I talked Jordan into paying for the tree as a gift for H and I because he really is working all the hours the pub is open and sleeps on the one day on a blue moon he has off. He hasn't done a thing for anyone else......oh I lie, he did go halves on gifts for the boys with Dan because I made him come out with us last week. He is not feeling festive.
Dan is in a world of his own, he will be here for 2 weeks in January....he did everyone while he was here but said he will do mine later.
What I really, REALLY would love is a new camera, apart from that just a lovely day, help cleaning up, no fighting and lots of gold.
I love jewellery, chains,rings and bangles, you wouldn't think it, to look at me, because apart from my wedding rings I never wear any, but I do love it and look at it longingly in the shop windows, knowing that when I am grown up and sophisticated, when there is nothing more important to buy, when I don't have my hands in soapy water all day, when I don't spend most of my time bending and grunting while I pick up and tidy, well then I shall wear gold and look all shiny and posh.
About the same time I have beautiful tidy hair, faultless make up, manicured nails and wear skirts, even when it isn't sunday. Yes, right about then.
It's a little sad that this time next week it will be boxing day and the tree will look all tired and unpretty, we will be tripping over toy bits and chocolate wrappers, I will be finding half eaten cadbury bars all over the house because there is no such word as 'no' on christmas day, they can eat chocolate all day until they puke if they like, this means that they start a bar and then put it down and then get another one and put it down. I remember following a trail of half eaten chocolate right through the house one year and finding a 4 year old Jordan asleep at the end of it. Even now the one thing the big kids would weep about if it wasn't there is the sweet table.......traditions, memories, priceless aren't they?