A Belated Greeting

Happy Valentine's Day

Yes, I know, I'm a little late with the greeting.  Welcome to my week. 

Before Hubby and I married, I was not one for putting too much of a to do into Valentine's Day.  We had a long distant relationship, so it isn't like we could meet up and celebrate with a romantic dinner.  Usually it was a romantic phone call between studying. 

Imagine Hubby's confusion, our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, when we went out for dinner that night, and I got upset over his lack of enthusiasm and romantic gestures.  Poor guy, he had it rough for awhile.

I forget how, or if, we celebrated those following years.  However, I do remember the first year we made it a family affair. 

JT was 19 months old.  ED was 1 month old.  I wanted out of the house, and a meal I didn't have to prepare.  We headed to a neighborhood pizza joint (Peace of Pizza, I miss you) and celebrated Valentine's Day as a family.  Since then, it has become one of our family traditions. 

One year, I remember us all being sick with some form of a cold/cough/congested unpleasantness.  We must have looked like a family of zombies, without the blood and gore, sitting at the table with expressions of anything but love and happiness.  That evening ended with a quick trip to the pharmacy for drugs, and lots of them. 

This year we celebrated in a disjointed way.  Last week we went out for dinner, celebrating good report card and Valentine's Day.  A two-in-one, this girl on a budget loves it.  

Oh, and romantic dinners and presents between Hubby and myself?  We have never been ones for present giving.  Part of that is because we usually find ourselves buying something big each year, and calling it our Christmas/Birthday/Valentine's/Anniversary gift.  This year, a cruise.  As far as dinner out, Hubby and I are  fortunate enough to go out at least once a month, so we don't feel the need to make the most out of Valentine's Day. 

Maybe, even after that first year of marriage, I don't find it necessary to fully celebrate Valentine's Day.  I much rather celebrate it as a family, spoil my kids a little, and enjoy the chocolate they bring home from their classroom parties. 

How do you celebrate?

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving
to all our Canadian friends!

For my fellow US citizens, who may have no idea what I'm talking about, here is an explanation of Canadian Thanksgiving, given by Canadian Rick Mercer, to NPR's Scott Simon.

Celebrate

Today is the day.

The day that hundreds, thousands, millions ... um, maybe millions is an overstatement, let us return to thousands.

Today is the day thousands have been waiting for ... well, waiting for since November.

"Valentine's what? Hon, don't you know what today is ... Daytona 500 babe, I'll take you out tomorrow."

Granted, if you live with a NASCAR fan you probably already know what today is, and therefore have prepared yourself for a quiet afternoon ... or if you are also a fan then you are calling the race a date.

Though, you have to ask yourself if the NASCAR organizers paused when they looked at the calendar. Not that they could have, or would have, changed it, but you do wonder.

Maybe you have come to terms that today is the Daytona 500 first, Valentine's Day second.

Or, like a friend of mine, laid down an ultimatum ... "You will take me out, you will not watch the race." How did that work for you?

Surviving the Holidays

"Wait a minute", you ask, "in past postings you made fun of the early arrival of Christmas decorations in stores and the playing of Christmas music and TV specials the day after Halloween. And now you are handing out holiday survival tips."

Yes sirree! Though one can hear Jingle Bells too many times one cannot prepare soon enough.

Plan Early

Just like I said, plan early. Hosting a cookie exchange, plan now. Office party to attend, shop now for the perfect outfit. Family dinner to organize, start now. Get the idea? However there is one exemption, if you are hosting Thanksgiving Dinner plan that first.

Start Shopping in January

This goes along with the above suggestion. January is a great time to stock up on Christmas cards, thank you cards, ornaments given as gifts, decorations, .... Sales baby! Some people will even start shopping for gifts in January. I usually start in August and September, if I start too soon I misplace the gifts or change my mind. Leading up to Black Friday great deals can be found, and sometimes better then Black Friday deals. And then, set a date to stop the shopping, "all trips to the store must be completed by December 10th." Yeah right, like that will happen. Exactly, it won't happen, but you will make a lot fewer trips after December 10th (or whatever date you pick) if you organize your trips.

Close Your Calendar

There comes a point when you can't accept anymore invitations, there are only so many hours in the day. So before your household melts down from party overload JUST SAY NO to new invitations. Let's face it, most of us know what events are happening for the month of December. OK, maybe not everyone, sorry my life is just that boring. As best as some of you "swing by the seat of your pants" people can do, plot your celebrations at the beginning of the month, prioritize your events, and then ... say it with me ... JUST SAY NO.

Clean in November and January

Give your house a good clean now, and then apart from tidying and swishing the toilet bowl (with a brush people), don't worry about the house until January. Put aside any house projects. (Though I may try to paint the bedroom while Hubby is home over the holidays ... hmmm, stay tuned for me losing my mind.) This is not the time to clean out the closets, or play room for that matter. Purge the play room now, and save the closets till after Christmas.

Pack up the first week in January

Pack it up and store it away, the sooner the better. Don't wait for Little Christmas, (I have no idea either, anyone, anyone?) or Valentine's day. If you so desire you can even start cleaning up the minute the last guest leaves Christmas Dinner. My limit is New Year's Day, by that point it is time for the house, and us, to return to our regularly scheduled lives.

Take a deep breath and enjoy the next few months. To enjoy more Works-For-Me-Wednesday ideas head over to Rocks in my Dryer.

Happy Holidays!