i asked my wife a question the other day..."when do you think these stores will break out the summer stuff? January 1st?" she of course told me "no, you silly man". somewhere around the beginning of October, stores brought out the Christmas stuff along with the halloween stuff. the day before halloween, we were at Target and found that all of the halloween merch had been cleaned out to make room for christmas decorations. we hadn't even celebrated the devil's holiday yet!

so anyways...Christmas is almost here...most stores are already playing Christmas music overhead while local radio station 104.5 is waiting until the traditional day after Thanksgiving to start their non-stop Christmas music. i have already noticed people decorating their houses for Christmas. someone down the street from our house put up his decorations sometime around halloween. the other day i realized just how close we are to Christmas when someone on the radio said that there were only 45 shopping days left...45 days?? wasn't it July like yesterday? well, at least the weather makes it seem so lately. i understand the frustration that everyone talks about during this time of the year. the pressure to find the perfect gift. i have no idea what to buy some people on my list. fortunately, some of the people on my list will create a list of their own and i'll have no problem finding their gift. my wife and i have purchased a power pack of Grizzlies tickets, so that's pretty much our Christmas...even though i'll still get her something she is not expecting. but what do you buy for people who have everything they want and/or need?? like my parents...they just moved into a new house and they actually had to get rid of some of their stuff because they had too much...stuff.

here's the good news if you have stressed out about this....you're giving a gift. if people don't tell you what they want, they have no right to be dissatisfied with your gift. now, if the person has told you what they want and you forget, then you're in trouble...this doesn't count for hints. if someone hints about a gift, then it's not your fault if you don't get the hint. bottom line, it is a gift and they should be grateful to receive it...i know kids are a little different in that aspect, but they're easy. as an adult i could care less whether or not i receive any gifts. i just like for others to have something to show that i care for them.

i used to be creative and good at finding good gifts...somehow i have lost the "gift" and hopefully it will come to me soon. usually i figure it all out at the last minute...not because i have waited, but because i have looked at every possible solution.