Tuesday Randoms… The Pre-Christmas Panic

• Anybody else feel like November is flying by at warp speed? Anybody else starting to feel panicky because you haven’t started the baking, finished the shopping, thought about wrapping, decorated the house, and have no time to do any of the above until December 20th?  Yeah.  That’s me right now.  I practicially hyperventilate when I let my mind wander there.
• Well, I kind of lied about the “decorating” part.  I actually have started that.  I know, it’s a little ridiculous to have my tree up on November 15th, but I honestly didn’t know when the hell the damned thing was going to go up if I didn’t do it this past Sunday afternoon.  Life is just that busy right now.
• I’m not apologizing for having my tree up way early, either.  You know what?  I love Christmas.   I love it so much.  And I love how my house looks and feels when it’s decorated for the holidays.  Last year, when I had to decorate super early because of the House Tour, people said to me, “Oh, you’ll be so sick of it by the time Christmas gets here.”  But I wasn’t.  I never got sick of it.  It still made me sad to take it all down the first week of January.  So you know what?  If having my tree up on November 15th makes me happy, then who cares what anyone else thinks.  We all need a little more happy in our lives right now.
• The one part of my tree that I am NOT happy about?  Well, the cheap-ass mini lights I bought last year went all screwy-lewy.  Three stands of lights, and on two of them, half the strand wouldn’t light up.  The only way we could get them to light up was to put in those stupid flasher bulbs that nobody uses.  And do you know why nobody uses the stupid flasher bulbs?  Because when your tree is all blinking at all different speeds and intervals, it makes you practically have a seizure just watching it.  I swear to God, when I plugged it in last night, I couldn’t even look at it.  My Christmas Tree is bezerk.
• I should clarify that I am not completely done decorating – basically just my living room is done.  Still more to do, but I hope to putter at that in the evenings over the next few weeks. 
• Last night, I decided to watch “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.  I think it’s a good November movie … Halloween is still not too far from my thoughts, and Christmas is approaching quickly.  It really is a movie that works for both holidays, so I like to watch it in November.  Unfortunately last night I fell asleep about 10 minutes in.  I guess I’ll try again tonight.
• The dark evenings have me really wanting to kick into hibernation mode.  Of course, there’s too much going on pre-Christmas for hibernation mode.  That will have to wait until January.  But I am so excited to hibernate this winter.  I feel like I need it.  Cozy blankets, naps, watching movies, sipping tea, making soup…just hunkering down inside… it sounds marvelous to me.  Of course, I don’t want that Christmas season to fly by, but I am craving January coziness, for sure.
• Oh, this is also the time of year when I get jealous that our Thanksgiving is over.  My American pals blogs are full of Thanksgiving menus and talking about what they’re most looking forward to… I could go for some turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy right now.  mmmmmm…
• I have to keep reminding myself to pause and take a breath.  I feel like I’m pretty much in full-on Christmas mode, and it can be overwhelming.  I like knowing when all the parties and festivities and gatherings are taking place, but between now and the week before Christmas, it’s almost too much.  I’m worrying about when things will get done, fretting over budgeting for it, stressing over every little thing.  This is when I give my head a little shake and say, “Dude.  It is seriously still only mid-November.  And you LOVE this time of year.  Quit panicking.  Relax.  Enjoy.  Take it all as it comes.”
• As my mom keeps saying to me… One day at a time. 

Please tell me I’m not alone in my pre-Christmas mid-November meltdown?  Please tell me other people are panicking too?  oy.