My Christmas Wish List

Last night I dreamt that I was working in a big flour factory, that also baked breads and cakes.

I was on an assembly line where I was frosting chocolate cakes.

I was quite adept at it - but ended up eating a lot of the frosting.

Then the line went down and we were all sitting around looking for things to do.

So I ate more - cake and frosting.

Then I met the owner of the business and he was quite taken with me and gave me a bag of birdseed.

What does this mean?

The fall decorations are out of the house.

Next - I go outside and take the pilgrims down.

: -)

I wanted to share my Christmas list with you - things I've been hankering for.

Been hankering for this since my 'mall day'.

See - that's the trouble with going to the mall! 

You want things you never even knew existed before you went.

Like Coach perfume and Elmo underwear.

Selah.

One spray and I knew I found my new fragrance.

Not that I'm a big fragrance girl.

My bottle of Clinque 'Happy' has lasted me three years.

I usually smell like dirt, grass, onions and Pinesol.

I'm ok with that.

This beauty.

KitchenAid's new 13 cup food processor.

I swoon when I think about it.

I eat a lot of veggies.

A. LOT.

Imagine the ease in which I could slice my cucumbers and julienne my carrots.

It's enough to make a grown woman cry.

My floor would no longer be covered in cauliflower when I chop.

*sniffle*

I'd love a $5000 gift certificate to this place.

I'm not a Kindle/Nook kinda girl.

I like turning real pages, I like smelling books, highlighting them and using them to decorate.

I understand the Nook has it's value - don't get me wrong.

I'd LOVE a shopping spree at Barnes and Noble.

*a single tear*

Anything, and I do mean anything from this place:

Even though I've been pinning cute outfits on Pinterest, talking about pencil skirts, and wanting Coach perfume - I'm a Life is Good hoodie kinda girl at heart -

 that really doesn't mind smelling like onions.

Something happened yesterday as I looked out my backwindow and saw my orange lights glowing, and my pumpkins sinking, and my pilgrims illuminated - something that I'm

not quite sure of -

I want nothing for Christmas now.

And I'm not really planning on giving any gifts to my friends this year.

I went over to the side of the fridge where my Christmas Gift Giving list is and I took it off the fridge, looked at it, and threw it in the garbage can.

If you are my friend reading this - please don't get me anything - please give that waitress a big tip, buy someone's groceries, shovel someone's walkway -

That's a gift I would love for you to give me.

I've got a big heart - I know that - and giving makes me giddy.

GIDDY.

I love giving gifts and I shan't lie - I like opening a gift or two on Christmas Eve around the tree.

And there's not a thing wrong with that.

But somewhere between lunch and dinner yesterday - somewhere between my heart and my mind -

it all seemed so silly.

It all seemed so 'this is what we do every year' - and I'm opting out.

You can't imagine the freedom I feel.

I'm decking my halls today - and the Christmas music will play - there will be some gluten free cookies floating about in the days to come -

My present this year is going to 'be present'.

Present.

Here.

Now.

Giving 100% of my attention to whomever it is I'm with - be it the BoyChild, Glenco - my other family members, friends.

Giving my time, giving a great attitude, giving my sympathy, giving my encouragement, giving, giving, giving.

And promising myself that I'll continue to be that way - long after the needles are vacuumed out of the carpet, long after the boxes of ornaments are tucked safely away in the attic for another year.

Be present.

I think that's an awesome present.

And much harder to give than a pair of socks.

Amen.