Christmas is coming.
The geese are getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man’s hat.
If you haven’t got a penny,
A ha’penny will do.
If you haven’t got a ha’penny,
Then God bless you!

Christmas is right around the corner! I don’t know about you, but it has been a hectic time for me. From various Christmas-related parties and celebrations to meetings with family, it’s a wonder there is even time to eat!

That said, I still love Christmas. Being given free license to listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies is always so enjoyable, as is looking at lights and Christmas decorations. As for our Christmas tree, we have a star at the top that emits lights on the ceiling, a train that circles around the top of the tree, and enough Christmas ornaments to decorate three trees! Someone was joking about our limbs bowing due to the weight of all the ornaments. They don’t really (it’s a fake tree), but the ornaments certainly fill in any bare spots! I don’t even really bother spreading out the branches because of the number of ornaments.

Even though Christmas is stressful, there is just something wonderful about it. It’s great seeing people come together to assist those who are not as well off, and there is just something magical about the time. Of course, I think it’s more fun when you have kids. I honestly don’t even want any presents for Christmas – I just want to make December magical for my kids, just as it was for me.

We’ve decorated sugar cookies and the tree, and we’ve done a gingerbread house. I feel like maybe we need to pull out some sort of Christmas check-list. In fact, I decided that is what I would do for today’s post! Here’s a holiday checklist for your enjoyment:

Decorate the inside of your house with the tree, lights, and other holiday decor.
Decorate the outside of your house with lights and festive lawn ornaments.
Decorate sugar cookies.
Read a Christmas book.
Go sledding or ice-skating.
Make a gingerbread house.
Take Christmas photographs for sending out cards.
Listen to Christmas music.
Assist the kids with writing a note to Santa.
Assist the children with writing a note to Santa.
Buy food for Christmas Day.
Send out Christmas cards.
Clean your house.
Put out some candy canes.
Shop for presents.
Drive around looking at holiday lights.
Wear an ugly holiday sweater.
Donate to a family or child in need.
Wrap presents.
Enjoy doing an Advent calendar.
Assist the kids in making homemade ornaments.
Buy matching Christmas pajamas.
Watch a Christmas movie.
Put your Elf out on that shelf.
Get gifts for teachers.
Get gifts for friends.
Host a holiday party.
Drink hot chocolate, apple cider, and/or wassail.
Buy goodies for Christmas Eve: cookies and milk for Santa as well as carrots or celery for his reindeer.
On Christmas Eve, don’t forget to read “T’was the Night before Christmas.”

We hardly ever get enough snow to go sledding, so I’m not even sure if we have a working sled anywhere. But we can do most of the other items! In fact, I’ve already done quite a few on that list, but we haven’t gone on a drive to look at lights yet. Maybe that is something for the upcoming weekend!

Christmas is coming, folks! I hope you are all having a very merry holiday season.