Christmas Shopping

I have never really been a huge fan of shopping.  I do enjoy it occasionally, but I would much rather be doing something else.  I think sometimes I enjoy it when I am alone.  I usually people watch, and you can't really do that when you have a lot of other little  people tagging along, I end up watching them!  During the Christmas season I tend to like it a little more.  I do enjoy searching for the perfect little surprise.  I always want to find that just so perfect trinket that the person never knew they wanted but absolutely loves.  That is not an easy task.  You really have to listen, and then not mind the searching.  This year.. shopping has been most difficult.  


Each year I request 'wish' lists from my kiddos.  "Wish" because they aren't guaranteed to get what is on that list.   Usually the list is quite long, so I have plenty of options to search for.  As with others, I tune into my kids starting in late summer and just 'people watch'.  I am tuned in all year, but, as summer draws to an end my focus changes.  That is when I start trying to make my mental list.  I might even buy something if I find the just so perfect thing.  It becomes a quest.  The quest for another amazing Christmas morning.  That five days or so around Christmas, starting on Christmas Eve are some of my most favorite days.  We actually slow down.  If you are reading this, you know my family is pretty much on the run most of the time.  Those days right around the day we celebrate Christ's birth.. are very precious, because our schedules are free, and we are together.  Those sought after trinkets and surprises I came up with are reminders to my family how much I love them.  


This year however shopping has been difficult.  I have not found 'the perfect surprise'.  I am having a very difficult time even finding the expected gift.  My brain has been a little more occupied since late summer, and I guess I didn't  tune in as well as I usually do.  And yet, maybe I was tuned in and picked up on the desires of my children's hearts.  You see... at the top of all four of their lists... all they want for Christmas is for us all to be together.