Does it say something about me that in this season of giving and selflessness, I can’t help but find things I want in every store? This isn’t normal for me. Usually I have good spells where I see a couple of things I really like and bad spells where I can’t even throw money and hit anything good. But in the last month or so, my own personal Christmas Wish List is growing by leaps and bounds. Each time I step into a store I have to make a mental note—even the grocery store has things I want to try but don’t really need (mostly chocolates)!

I find myself obsessed, going back to check the stores week after week, willing a few specially selected items to be on sale. Then if I’m lucky and one of them is on sale, I have to ask myself, is it discounted enough? Will it go further on sale so that I’ll regret purchasing it too soon, or will they sell out of my size, and I’ll regret my thrifty decisions? Worse still is when I decide to buy, walk out of the store and into another, and begin wondering if perhaps I should return my purchase and buy the “item of the moment” instead. Arrrrgggh!

I’m happy (ecstatic really) to say that I’m mostly done with my Christmas shopping. Now I can afford to browse for myself—not that I wasn’t doing it before, but now I don’t have to feel quite so guilty.

Right now my Christmas wishes are for really, exceptionally generous gift-giving friends and family members who know my size and think I’m worth it….OR…truly wonderful sales so that I can get myself what I want.

And of course world peace.

And now…a shameless bit of self-promotion…

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For only $9.98 (plus tax for Texas residents), Alyssa Goodnight will personalize and sign a copy of her novel. It will be gift-wrapped and sent to the address of your choice. (There is an additional fee for international shipments).

So give the gift of romance to everyone on your Christmas list this year, and with all the time you’ll save, indulge yourself a little.

Visit www.ImpressInk.com to place your order. Specify your personalization requirements, as well as the ship address, in the PayPal comment section. If you prefer to write a check, send an email to impressink@earthlink.net.

I have to admit I like the entire process surrounding Christmas cards. And while I like choosing a pre-packaged Christmas card with a picture and greeting that represents the spirit of our family, I really prefer a little something more personal. I tried one year (with my husband) to write one of those yearly summaries, letting everyone know the latest news, but I have to admit, it felt a little awkward telling everyone (from family to friends to co-workers) about the little details of our life. (Not to mention referring to ourselves in the third person!) Also, because we decided on a rhyme, it was even harder. Specifically because my husband and I had to agree on the rhythm with which the entire thing would be read and then change verses based on flow and syllable stressing. No easy task.

Once we had our boys, I wanted to send out Christmas photos with the cards. Well, we’re a do-it-yourself kind of family that doesn’t believe in spending a whole lot for one day, one picture, one use, you name it. So we face two problems. One is the difficulty in choosing what to have the boys wear for these photos, and the other is deciding where the picture should be taken. Living in south Texas, not only do we not get snow (except for the rare occasion), but we generally don’t even get that cold. So it’s kinda silly for us to dress the boys up in sweaters and cords (bought for this very purpose) for a little holiday picture in the sun. Particularly as it’s often too hot on Christmas to even wear these special little Christmas outfits!

So we’ve tried to get a little creative. One year we found a polar bear graphic and superimposed our one-year old, dressed in his bathing suit, lying on the tummy of the polar bear lying down. The card said, “Merry Christmas from a real Polar Bear Club”. An added benefit was that my husband and I didn’t have to be in the picture. The disadvantage was that right after my son’s picture was taken, he peed all over the floor. The sacrifices we make in the name of artistic genius!

One year we were in Denver for Thanksgiving and caught a shot of the boys playing in the snow in front of a snow topped “Christmas tree”. We got a lot of questions about that one—“Where were you guys?”

Last year we dressed the boys in colored sweatshirts and jeans and stood them up near the holiday decorations at the mall. They both look like they’re singing in the pic, so we chose the greeting, “Merry Christmas from the XXX Boy’s Choir and their parents.” (XXX is for my real last name).

This year the boys are wearing shorts and eating Dairy Queen Blizzards. The caption will say something about Texas Blizzards being just fine with them. Any thoughts on actual wording would be great… Maybe “Everything’s better in Texas, even Blizzards.” Or how about, “The number one reason to live in Texas—the Blizzards are better here.” Or even, “Christmas in Texas: Wearing Shorts ’n Eating Blizzards.”

Ahhh…the holidays…let those creative juices flow!