Have you all finished your Christmas shopping yet? I braved the weather yesterday and pretty much got mine knocked out in one day. The malls were crazy, the lines were long and people were impatient to say the least. This happens every year when I wait until the last minute to do my gift purchases. Without strong will and determination, the most Christmas spirit-filled person would turn into a Grinch. It was difficult to keep that Christmas smile on my face by the time I returned to my car with my packages and getting soaked by the torrential rain storms we had yesterday.

I was so worried about being a Grinch that when I got home I popped my favorite childhood Christmas videos in to bring back that warm feeling. Please don't tell me that I'm the only one who still enjoys "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer", "The Year Without a Santa Claus" and "Frosty the Snowman". I know they're child-like, but that's why I enjoy them so much. They bring back wonderful memories of a time when Christmas was simple and filled with joy and expectation...not of a hustling, bustling, perfectionistic holiday shopper. I think we should take time to enjoy the simple things, and not be so worried about the perfect gift and wrestling it away from the woman who has the last one.