Beginning

It started innocently enough.
I have never truly been a Christmas person. Even when I was little- I always resented the moods of shoppers crowding the aisles, and the hubub of visitors invading our tiny home.
And sometimes, the disappointment.
But now that we are three, we have agreed to have Christmas traditions of a different sort. We agreed to not do a tree, or lights. Or presents for everyone, and we agreed that we would stay here in our sweet town for Christmas and avoid my batty, crazy family.
But then we took some photos of the babe in sweet Christmas form, and today we mailed $20 worth of Christmas cards to friends and family. Most of whom will not look at the shiny piece of paper again after Christmas.
And we bought a wreath for the door, because it was our one festive agreement.
And then, decorations to fill a bowl on the table.
And now, my living room is filled with stacks of presents for all the tykes in my family. My mother guilted me into visiting for Christmas so we will be hitting the road for an (at least) eight hour car trip with the Cuppycake on Tuesday.
And then, today, while picking up those crazy expensive photo cards from Walgreens, we decided their $10 Christmas tree was a steal. And to go with it, we HAD to have ornaments. Lights. Garland. A skirt. And at AC Moore, with my dear, we found they too were having a sale, and bought MORE ornaments, cookie cutters, and wrapping paper.

It is all too familiar, and all to invasive. I would SO rather not get started on this....but how does one avoid it?