Friday, November 20, 2009

Signed, sealed, and delivered

Sent in my last research paper of 2009 not 10 minutes ago. I feel just slightly victorious. Still have two finals to go, but they're take-home finals. I feel the odds are more in my favor there.

I'm so excited about the holiday season that I'm about to burst. I'm trying to keep the squealing to a minimum. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I feel like a peppermint mocha right now. To celebrate.

I really wish I had some super amazing deep thought or question or anything more superficial than what I'm thinking right now (which consists of the food I'm going to devour next week and where I'm going shopping on Black Friday), but it's been a hard week, and my brain apparently shut off as soon as I turned my paper in.

PRAISE JESUS, THAT LAST PAPER IS DONE!!!!!!!!!

My husband is expecting all As this quarter from his three graduate classes. I have a lot of jealous comments for that, but, as I'm trying not to get coal in my stocking for Christmas, I'll refrain and just say that I would be happy with all As as well, for me as well as for him. (Happy? I'd be ESCATIC.)

Question (still very superficial and not deep): Do you go shopping on Black Friday, or do you avoid it like the Black Plague?

Our family was never really big into shopping on Black Friday, but I LOVE it. I love the sales, I love fighting the crowds, and I love having all my Christmas presents purchased before Dec. 1. It's like a shopping victory for me. And, of course, I love the post-shopping nap that follows.

A friend of mine mentioned that she always avoided the stores on Black Friday but went to the spa instead. Interesting concept. I think after the post-shopping nap I'll have to check that out. Ooooh, maybe with a peppermint mocha.

Question No. 2 (Seriously, this should have been a What's Your Answer Wednesday): What kinds of things do you do to celebrate Christmas before Dec. 25? Such as: caroling, going to see Christmas plays, going to look at the lights, parades...What do you do?

I have a list of ten items that I want to do during this season. Two of them are related to Christmas lights. I can't remember how many relate to food. At least one relates to peppermint mochas.

Another question! (I'm full of 'em today.) What kind of Christmas cards do you send? (Or do you send them out at all?) Do you send picture cards or regular cards? Do you have a certain place where you buy them each year (My mom always gets hers from Hallmark.)?

Okay. No more questions. It's just time for you to answer!!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. I avoid it like the plague. I've done my share of Black Friday shopping before. You can have the crowds. People get vicious, and honestly, it kind of bothers me to see people getting so worked up and ugly with each other when the season is supposed to be about PEACE on earth and GOOD will towards men. :)

2. We do an advent countdown. That's about it. And watching "A Christmas Story" over and over and over.

3. We make our own cards. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, you're asking for a lot of responses today...making me work. ;-)

First, CONGRATS on getting your last paper done. That's awesome!!

I'm skipping Christmas cards this year. Don't have the extra money.

One year we let the kids open something tiny each day for a week before Christmas. It was fun, but we never did it again. We always go into the city (NYC) for a day to see the tree, etc. We always take rides looking at Christmas lights and drinking hot chocolate.

Uh, I forgot your other question....thinking....

Black Friday, right? Don't usually shop on it, but this year I really want to be in Target at 5 am. Seriously, it's almost a need in me.
-FringeGirl

Lucy Marie said...

1. I am from Canada, so black friday doesn't exist here. Although, a LOT of my friends go across (I only like about 20 minutes from the border) and I think they are crazy. Sometimes they wait 3-4 hours just to get over the border!

2. We do SO many things during the Christmas season that I couldn't even count them all. Decorating the house, baking, making certain foods, going to see the lights at Niagara Falls ... all of it!!

3. This year I'm doing picture cards but I'm not 100% happy with them.

Jill said...

I have to be in the mood for Black Friday. And have money. But I absolutely refuse to stand outside all night, waiting for the four incredible electronic items at unheard-of prices that stores are offering. Especially since they will only have two items per store.
Celebrating? Decorating, eating, looking at lights, eating, parties, eating. Did I mention eating?
I'm debating cards this year. I like sending them because then you get some back and that tells me that some people at least care enough to put my address on an envelope. I'm needy that way. : )

septembermom said...

Congratulations! That's great. Now for the questions.

1. No way to Black Friday!! Too crazy for me.
2. We're going to the Christmas show in NYC this year. We like to decorate.
3. I sometimes send picture cards. We'll see this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brooke said...

i have sent both picture and regular cards, depending on my mood. i've bought a lot of cards the day after Christmas, so i'll probably just use from my stockpile.

i LOVE black friday shopping and was depressed that while visiting jay's family in po-dunk, WV there was ho where to shop.

i've started hosting (okay i've done it once and will do it again this year) a pre-Christmas party at my house. the entire family gets invited and we eat and play dirty santa - but the rule is you can't buy anything. it has to be a random object picked up around your house.

sara said...

congrats on the paper!! my daughter just called me with similar news!!!

1. when the kids were little and we were very poor...I hit every one. I planned out where I would go in order to try and get that "special" gift for my kids I could afford no other way. Now....no way!

2. this changes as the kids get older and where we have lived. So I guess my answer is that there are no specific traditions!

3. Since we have moved so much in the ministry, I send photo cards so every one can see the changes in our family.

And on that note...check out my blog today and find out how to get 100 photo cards FREE!!!! :)

Mari said...

1) I occasionally go out when i don't have to work on that day. I have to be after a great deal though.
2) We have an advent calender, we watch A Christmas Carol, we decorate cookies...
3) I send cards. I usually buy them at a Christian bookstore near us.

Hooray for the finished paper!