GRINCH?

Christmastime is without a doubt, my FAVORITE time of the year.  The sounds, the smells, the food!, the lights, everything.  My best childhood memories are around Christmastime, and I've always intended it be that way for my kids too.  It's about tradition, right?  My husband finds a fresh tree every year and the decor goes up, the lights are bright on the tree each night, the Christmas candles burn, the Christmas songs play, we make Christmas treats, there's a visit to Snowflake Lane, we read about the true meaning of Christmas, and the kids are giddy for weeks.  We rest assured that Santa will come and appreciate our holiday spirit.

This year is a little different.

It's 2 hours from December 20th and I don't have a tree up.  I haven't wrapped a single gift, and that candle there?  It's probably the closest thing I've got going to decorating.  It smells like cranberry, which makes my living room smell slightly Christmasy.

My excuse(s)?  Buying a new house in the middle of the holidays, the girls' birthdays, and our anniversary.  A crazy work schedule, a million and ten things to do before the year is over.  Packing.  Cleaning.  Expenses.  Something had to give, and that was it: my Christmas Spirit.

So, I'm feeling a little Grinch-ish, Internet, and I have 5 days to figure this out.  It'll be my son's first Christmas.  My girls are captivated by the holidays this year.  Eden can legibly write out the alphabet, so she sent Santa a letter (with some spelling help).  Santa sent her back a video via the PortableNorthPole (coolest thing ever).  She and Taimane actually get all the words right to "Jingle Bells" and "Santa's Coming to Town."  They've been asking about making gingerbread houses and cookies and wrapping presents, and I've done zilch.  I need the Procrastination-Fix-It-Fairy to swoop down and wave her magic wand and get it together for me.  Let me know if anyone out there knows how I can find her. *Sigh.*