I have a "diamond shoes are too tight" problem. My kids have a lot of loving family members who buy them generous gifts; in some cases very generous ones. This Christmas, they are getting presents from my mother, brother, sister, father, grandfather, and cousin, and from mr. flea's sister and parents. And us, and each other. Several of the people ask me for wish lists and buy right off them, and others are generally good gift-givers. The problem is 1) too many presents and 2) I have this ridiculous thing where I feel like the gift from MOM should be the best gift for a kid, but we'd have to go ridiculously over the top to make something stand out amidst the general giftery. I know many of the people giving really enjoy giving my kids gifts, and aren't doing it from obligation (my childless brother spends a ton on them, and seems to love doing so.) I know the kids love getting one zillion presents. How can I get over being mildly distressed about this wonderful situation that makes everyone happy but me?

Can you set aside some time, it doesn't have to be long, when you can go ahead and feel distressed and not feel guilty or otherwise bad about it? Just wallow in your own feelings and don't worry about whether they are justified or not. For, like, ten minutes or half an hour or whatever - set a timer. Maybe that would help.

In good news, I haven't paid the electric bill for two months, and this third month, it's less than the last two combined. I have no idea what the billing department is doing, but they've a history of overestimating instead of reading my meter, so I'm not going to argue the point when I'm short on funds (Christmas bonus goes towards presents for the family and new winter-wear for me). Expecially since these are the people who send me three emails with the same timestamp with three different amounts owed, and a lot of times it's a credit because they overcharged me previously.

How can I get over being mildly distressed about this wonderful situation that makes everyone happy but me?

It makes your kids happy, right? That's the only barometer I've got for Christmas morning.

And the way they remember Christmas. If they're lucky enough to remember it as a bounty and joyous, then that seems like a good thing to me.

They're excited. Not so much for the things (though the things are great!) but because so much love and attention is being showered on them.

I can tell my mother feels bad that she's not going to have much for me to open on Christmas. But she's spending a ton of money on my presents! They just aren't ones to open. (And I'm not even counting all the work on the apartment...) I think motherhood is just fraught sometimes.

I have wrapped all the family presents, and the house looks like a shambles, but is clean enough that an hour of straightening tonight and tomorrow will be plenty. Then I just have to cut up the crudite (why did I not buy a pre-cut thing??) and maybe put some bows on boxes. I am in good shape!

Oh hey, Amy -- that story about the kid extreme couponing for charity? Blowing UP. [link]

I'm going to hit the meat market in the morning for these awesome stuffed bread concoctions, and then TJs because mum doesn't have that in NH. Then the gun shop for ammunition, because this is the acronym Christmas: DUI & NRA. (I thank the heavens above that big bro isn't abusive).

Oh, that's cool, Jesse!

I have so much left to do tomorrow. All the wrapping, cookies, a gingerbread for Christmas dessert, and straightening up around here. A couple days with everyone home and this place looks like a clutter bomb hit.

I had planned on printing out the "spring break road trip" stuff for CJ's Christmas present and putting in a binder/report folder for him. Well, I have the file put together, but it is unprinted.

I'm thinking of putting it on a thumb drive and wrapping that up for him. Lazy...but I haven't messed with him on any of his other presents.

I have photo cards that need to be used for some of my Christmas cards.

this [link]

or that and this [link] both cropped to fit in one 3x5 thing

or this [link]