For some reason that I can't figure out, Christmas shopping is easy for me. I have several people on my list, but it never is very hard to find something that I'm sure they would enjoy. I even went to Ebay this year and bought an out of print cookbook (Larousse Gastronomique) for someone who loves dictionaries and cooking *not telling who. I found a sale yesterday in the kids department, and bought sweaters and hooded sweatshirts for my grandnieces, and I bought and sent new curtains for my mom's bedroom. My mother is easy to buy for, she likes Alfred Dunner clothing. I don't know if people enjoy the gifts as much as I enjoy buying them, but I think they do. I usually go for something that someone "needs", like a crystal wine stopper for a wine lover, or a new art book, or a warm pair of gloves. Something they needed but didn't know they needed! Mike likes CD's, movies, books on tape, Moleskines, and black Gap t-shirts. He's easy.
Stocking stuffers are the most fun. I roll up a pair of "christmas theme" socks for Christmas morning, or a shiny new potato peeler, or a lemon zester, or a tiny notebook and pen. Our Christmas stockings are usually so stuffed that we place them each in their own chair with the goodies all around. It is a tradition and I like to keep that going. My father used to hang Christmas cards in the tree, with a little money inside, for each child. One year, in 1957 or so, my big brother got a set of car keys tucked inside for the new Ford that my dad had parked right outside. Now, THAT was an exciting surprise!
Today is Saturday and I'm all ready to go to the yarn store to buy white yarn to make a scarf for my mother's friend who helps her do errands. I am giving away three other scrarves to people on my list.
We made yet another visit to the furniture store to see our dining room set. We wanted to push the chairs around some more. I'll explain. When we bought the new diningroom table, it came with wheels on the legs. Part of the "National Geographic" look I guess, but they made the table seem high in the store. So, at the salesperson's suggestion, when the delivery men came, I asked them if they could take the wheels off, which they did easily. Last night, dear George who knows everything, said that the reason the big end chairs don't slide undr the table is that we took the wheels off and the table is too low for them. So, today we are putting them back on. I'm not sure that is going to be as easy.
What seemed like such a good solution in the store, turned out to be a big problem at home. Frankly, I didn't realize what a big problem it was until he mentioned it last night. George is the engineer in the family, and I am the resident space cadet. Every family needs one space cadet to give everyone else someone to tease. Anyway, doh, now it is obvious to me that the arm chairs are currently floating around in the dining room as we push them out of our way. They need to be tucked under the table. How come I didn't notice that right away? If they handed out awards in daydreaming and designing pie crusts, I'd win.
George is off to get his sailboat from his son's backyard, and bring it to our house to store. I'm not a sailor, but maybe I will be next summer. I'm willing to give it a whirl. Actually, it sounds like fun.
Off to the yarn store. Have a great day.
