It's the most wonderful time of the year

Or is it?

I am so completely overwhelmed and unprepared this Christmas season. I have only purchased one of the fifteen (yes fifteen) gifts that my daughter has requested...or demanded...whichever you prefer to read. She has even gone as far as to begin to throw out and "get rid of" toys from last year to make room for this year's inventory. Little does she know, all she has under the tree is a Pillow Pets Lady Bug Decorative Pillow - Red and a Disney Princess Toddler Doll - Tiana. She also wants a freaking kitchen with a coffee maker. SHE ALREADY HAS A KITCHEN!!! And it is huge, but it doesn't have a coffee maker. I feel like a jerk cheapskate, but I have a very strong mind to buy a toy coffee pot and super glue the base to her kitchen. Is that wrong?

It's not that I don't have the Christmas spirit.

It's more like I don't have the consumer spirit. We are in a recession for goodness sakes. No one should be expecting 15 gifts. Maybe this is all my fault. Maybe I have not told my 3 year old that we are in a recession. Or maybe it is Nick Jr.'s fault for airing all of these freaking commercials. STOP IT NICK JR.!!! You are ruining my bank account. I am trying to save for a rainy day ( or a sunny one at the beach).


I have a job. I also have a commute.

Which means my shopping time is almost nonexistent. I don't have time to go to stores and price compare. I have waited too long to purchase online. Who invented Christmas anyway? Ok well, not like that. I mean I know we are celebrating the birth of Christ, but why must we buy all of these gifts? Why can't families come together and be merry sans the thousand dollar gift giving ritual. I think that's what I want to do. I think each person should receive one gift PERIOD and then hug the whole family. We can then save the money for a family camping/fishing trip.

I'm over it all. Who's going to join me at the lake?