the weather outside is not frightful

I received my first Christmas letter today. Granted, it's from my husband's aunt and uncle who sent it early so that everyone would know their new address. That way we can appropriately address our Christmas letter to them. It was very nice of them.

It's still disturbing. Despite the fact that they had a valid reason for being a little early, truth is that it's not all that early at all. Christmas is coming. I haven't started shopping yet and my sister is almost done. I've barely started my Christmas letter and, while I've bought cards, I haven't even updated the address book on the new computer with all the addresses from the old system yet. And, no, my paper address book is not up to date and cannot be used as backup.

Decorations have been up for weeks, literally, and I am simply not in the mood this year. I know I have to get out and get organised, but I just really don't feel like it. There's always a little panic every year, but this holiday season seems a little more chore-like than previous years.

Perhaps once I get started, it'll all settle into place. I've tentatively scheduled a few days off in early December for just that kind of holiday blitz. It's borderline late for that sort of shopping spree - most of my presents have to be shipped elsewhere - but a time crunch will add to the necessity of complete and thorough purchasing. Visa will be so happy.

falalalalalala

Paper Carrot, People Carrot

After nearly a month of cancelled engagements and rearranged plans, and this nearly six months after the original invitation, I will be going to see friends this weekend. They live around the corner from us - in the same complex, even - yet finding the time for a coffee together has been a battle of calendars. My husband's football games, her husband's work shedule and my out of town guests all factored into the fragile negotiations of simply sitting down.

It really should not be all that difficult, yet determining a mutually agreeable date and time between friends has taken up more hours than we will likely get to spend together on Saturday itself. And these friends live disgustingly close - I practically never see the ones that have the gall to live in neigbouring suburbs. Once you factor in drive time, it becomes nearly impossible to meet with anyone who doesn't live around the corner.

Email and cell phones should be keeping me in touch, but even they seem to only barely bolster my attempts at communication. A few messages that don't really say anything go back and forth and so there seems no need to keep up the virtual discussion until something of note occurs. The problem is that something of note is usually worthy of a bulk email - photo updates, engagement or birth announcements - and leaves no real chance for any personal contact. It's still good to get the bulk email. At least I know that I exist in their address book and that's about all anyone can ask for these days.

Bulk email makes me feel better about sending out my annual Christmas letter (the one I've got to start drafting soon). I really see it as no different, except that I have to spend 49c on postage and force my husband to co-sign each card. Everyone who gets a card gets to know that they're still in my paper address book and maybe, one day, we'll talk.

So, if for some reason, our date gets cancelled yet again this weekend, I can just shove an early Christmas card in their door. After that, we'll have a whole year to try catch up again in 2005.