Wildflower Car

>Can you be more specific about the parts that are causing stress?

For me it's the trying to figure out what to get the long list of people.
For my family it's the ping pong traveling.

>We
>love a big Christmas celebration here, but we've brought "chosen
>family" in for celebrating with as our extended family is far away.

We have done Christmas morning at home as a rule for many years with just my
mother and her husband.
>
>Can you start earlier in the year?

I tried to start this week. But the list is SO long!

>We also try to purchase things our
>kids want all year, but there are still items we get at Christmas.

My kids all have birthdays close to Christmas, so I like giving them bigger
gifts that they have to wait on then.

>Something we've done with extended family is a name drawing. That way
>you can focus on purchasing one nicer gift for the person you draw,
>rather than something smaller for everyone.
>
>It's between my sisters and I. Last year we drew a family name and the
>idea was a gift the whole family could enjoy (games, food etc..). I
>really like to just have the cousins draw a name and do it that way,
>it changes every year.:)
>
I do some name drawing between all the divorces and remarriages, we have
lots of "Christmas" gathering near Christmas. It's difficult because I am
one of 11 kids, 19 nieces and nephews.


I think I am just going to have to change my attitude to some degree. I'm
down right pissy about it right now.

Wildflower

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