Christmas, presents, and us

It's December 5th. I was not prepared for this.

I knew I was focused on wedding planning, but this wasn't something anyone warned me about. (Though, in all fairness, what are they going to say: "By the way, getting married this late in the year, you are going to totally get mugged by the holiday season. Might want to buy some mace"?)

It's Christmastime and I think for the first time in my life I am not mentally prepared.

The week before Thanksgiving both of our mothers asked us for Christmas ideas.

Christmas ideas? We just got a whole lot of presents. I mean, I love presents, I'm even on top of the thank you notes and just have 4 or 5 left. We also just bought a whole lot of stuff. I'm literally tired of spending money. (Not that I don't want more stuff...)

The funny thing is that ordinarily by the time Mom asks I've already made a list (partly because I keep a list of things I want...just for my own reference...and because I adore making lists) but this time my brain fizzed. List?

I recovered quickly.

It was the "family gifts" that presented a bit more of a problem. The registry was a fall back, but both of us were trying to think of things outside the registry scope. I figured there were still things around the house we wanted--though some of those you just can't ask for because you really have to pick them out yourselves...

Zorro was not enthused by the prospect of more housewares. There is a limit to the excitement a guy can get from home decor and supplies.

Naturally his ideas for fun gifts tended toward games and movies.

This was understandable, and not entirely unexpected (I did, after all, grow up with brothers, and have known this particular boy several years). It did present us with an amusing dichotomy of his and hers (with almost no [giftable] overlap) as we brainstormed for ideas (weeks after they were initially requested).

It's tough to think of Christmas gift ideas when you just bought more stuff in a month than you've ever dreamed of buying in that time period. There is nothing critical--at least not anything you'd want to get for Christmas--and other good first Christmas "fun" gifts we'd already gotten with wedding money. Perhaps that was an oversight on our part.

We did think of a few things. Eventually (and really, they are all good ideas).

Now it's time to turn my mind to Christmas shopping. Venice, here I come!