Did someone say Christmas is approaching?

Yep. It's that time again. Get ready to gorge yourselves stupid, be nice to people you hate, fill your house with tacky sparkly things, listen to school kids screech tunelessly to "christmas carols", etc. Yep. My middle name is Scrooge. Before you complain to me, allow me first proclaim a loud "BAH!!! HUMBUG!"

Sorry, old habits die hard. I've hated christmas for years but for some reason I'm actually looking forward to it this year. Perhaps it's because it's so different in Aus to the UK. Or perhaps it's because I have a huge pile of pressies for TT. I can't wait to see her open them. She's going to love them.

She's dying to open them and it's really hard for me to stop her but I know I must. I'm so excited though! I guess this is what having a child is like. They say children make the magic of Christmas don't they?

It's not just TT though, I've bought more Christmas presents this year than I've ever bought before. Nothing of any real value, but just thought out present for people. I'm really looking forward to peoples reaction. I've already had a huge amount of satisfaction from one gift that hasn't even been opened.

I sent something to a person in the US that I don't even know and I got a lovely email back thanking me. That email meant so much because the person said that they were spending Christmas alone and that they were going to open it then. It's only a tiny gift of no value, but the idea that someone will have a suprise means lots to me. I hope they aren't disapointed at the lak of value but I don't think they will be. I happen to know the person dislikes "token gifts" so I'm sure they'll realise that this isn't a token, it's just somthing I spotted and made me smile.

The other thing that's really odd about this Christmas is that I've wrapped all my presents so far. When I lived in the UK I had a plethora of girlies to call upon to wrap presents for me. I'm also very good at acting (or perhaps it's not acting) hopeless. One of my favourite tricks is to buy presents from a shop and then look all hopeless until the shop keeper wraps it for me. I'm very accomplished at this.

Anthing that I can't get other people to wrap for me traditionally gets wrapped in a drunken state on Christmas eve, or more correctly, 3am on christmas morning. After a couple I tend to stuff the pressie and some wrap into a plastic bag and wind sellotape around the whole lot. This year I've been good and not only bought my pressies early, but also wrapped them. I'm very proud of myself.

If you think you deserve a present send me a mail and I'll do my best. Only people I like need apply....