I really do not know where I got this crazy idea that Christmas has to be perfect.  I try so very hard to make things perfect.  In my head I’m recreating what I remember the holidays were like.  BUT am I recreating MY holidays of past?  I really don't think so anymore.  I think I really am trying to recreate the crap I saw on T.V. all those lovely holiday specials with perfect cookies, trees, and carolers sipping hot coco.

My quest to make a perfect Christmas started getting really out of hand the week before Christmas. 

I used to bust my ass making cut out gingerbread and sugar cookies that we would decorate just so.. this year there was NOT a single cut out cookie to be had. I was beating myself up over this.  This is what my gingerbread cookies looked like this year.

cookies My fatal flaw for the cookies this year was the fact that I simply had to over do it.  In an attempt to make up for the lack of shape and frosting I made far too many cookies.

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yeah that was just ONE freaking platter !  Towards the end I sort of went nuts and started to see things.  creepy things..

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7 hours of cookie making and I lost it! the cookies were in shock I guess.  lol

My sister bought a gingerbread sleigh set for the kids to decorate and they blew through that in about 10 minutes.  Ate off all the candies and left the carcass to rot.

 IMG_0019 IMG_0022 This picture tells the true story of the gingerbread sleighs..

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I guess I should not complain having to round the kids up and pull them in to the house kicking and yelling, just to do the stupid things. The entire time was spent telling them to quit eating the candies, licking frosting and throwing things.  BUT as it all fades into memory… I hope the memory of the frustration passes and all that's left is something good.

I also spent 5 hours wrapping presents on Christmas eve. 5 freaking hours!  Its partly my fault.  I really love the presents to be wrapped so pretty.  In my head they all need to look like this at their worst.  WHY do I do this to myself?

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Christmas Moring the kids blew through the presents in 10 minutes.  There were land speed records set!  I couldn't snap pictures fast enough!

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NOT one kid commented on how lovely they gifts were wrapped.  SIGH

 

So anyways, as Christmas 2009 fades in to memory, I truly hope at some point my kids look back and are thankful for the fact I run myself ragged to make it perfect..With any luck they will be doing it to themselves when they have kids.  Then I can sit back and laugh. As the cookies mock them!