Yesterday I took my kids out so my mum and aunt could take them present shopping for me, I bought Ian’s present, I hung ornamentation on our front door, I made four batches of candied orange slices, finished a batch of candied cranberries, coaxed the kids into letting me take pictures of them to use for their Christmas crafts, I sewed a last minute present for someone, I whipped up a leftover-taco-casserole-type-supper and then I ran out to hit seven stores in the course of two hours.

I’d call myself a super-shopper on that last one, but I was looking for something specific and did not find it anywhere.

Today I cleaned up some of yesterday’s mayhem-leavings, I mixed up truffle ganache and ginger caramels. I had lunch with my family, came home and wrapped those caramels (which took forever) and I rolled truffles. I bought groceries and then I whipped up a quick Pad Thai supper.

Now I am sipping my wine and procrastinating the rest of my evening, because I still have to go make a loaf of gluten-free bread, and cupcakes and risotto. These things could all actually be done tomorrow, BUT we haven’t even started the kids Christmas Crafts yet and they are with their dad tonight so it all has to be done tomorrow after they get home. Additionally, I haven’t wrapped any presents yet, so yeah, I need to clear myself a little time for tomorrow by continuing to work tonight.

My family has great Christmases and I wouldn’t dream of or want to do anything differently and I’m aware that all these obligations are of my own choosing. I think that helps me not feel so terribly overwhelmed – because I’m not pitying myself or feeling at the mercy of Christmas.

However, as I headed into Wal-Mart last night, the fifth in my seven-store string of shopping, and I was angry that I was even trying Wal-Mart since I’ve successfully boycotted them for about four years now and I had begun limping from spending all day on my feet in the kitchen and then mosying through stores for hours, I did have a moment of seriously pondering a little anger at Christmas. Just a little.