Presents

I find it quite amazing that there are people out there who actually have present cupboards. My wife is one of them. She has a cupboard full of little pressies 'just in case'. This is why the sales at Woolies and the like do so well. These ladies pile into the sales and by like 4 candle stick holder sets, 6 tubs of body butter, bottles of bubble bath, empty wooden boxes and not for themselves, but for the pressie cupboard.
I suppose that makes them organised and ready for any present related emergencies...

This of course leads to one of the worst torture's that could be inflicted upon anyone... Christmas Shopping... I have been avoiding the shops as best I can, but I have no doubt that the elevator style Christmas music will be playing full blast across the malls. Each shop will be competing against the rest with the Little Drummer Boy and other Boney M classics causing children of the 70's (like myself) to shiver fearfully at the memories of being subjected to this torture worse than bamboo up the nails...

The self same people that have present cupboards are the ones who finished their Christmas shopping before the decorations even went up. And we know that the decorations go up earlier each year, in fact I think I saw a bauble back in July... Soon they will just leave them up throughout the year, just changing the manger to a cross for easter and disguising Santa's Reindeer as bunnies... Much more practical. As long as the music stops tho.
My wife asked me what I used to do for presents before she was around. Well, I just didn't buy any... or maybe it was a few for my direct family, and those were all bought after work on Christmas eve...

I love the excitement in kids eyes as Christmas approaches. Now with Spud on the way, I reckon I will be pulling out the Boney M Christmas albums and getting into the spirit myself. Kids have that effect on us. They bring out the child inside each one of us. The stresses and strains of everyday life seem to be forgotten as a childs laughter fills our ears and a smile automatically appears on our lips and in our hearts. Even if it is only for a moment, it is a moment to be cherished.