Christmas Anxiety Syndrome or Where Did Christmas Go?

Well, it hit.

Two weeks left to do my Christmas shopping and my list to buy for Christmas goodies isn't even complete yet. Not only that, I have yet to find my dream ornament.

And I'm panicking.

I have no idea what happened. I started early, but did I start too early?

By now, the Christmas-decorated yards are looking a little passe and I'm ignoring the guy ringing the bell at the Salvation Army set-up they have in front of all the local stores with disdain. My dream tree, while still beautiful, sits in the corner and I haven't oohed and aahed at it for a week now. My heart is pounding because I haven't finished my Christmas shopping and I feel that time and money is running out.

Why couldn't I have finished the shopping last month anyway?

Nooooo...I just had to have that Christmas experience of going out among the masses of shoving, impatient and rude last minute shoppers. Where is my brain?

Well, now I'm having it and wishing that I could have had it last month instead.

Tonight, we are going out to try to finish. In the cold. With the mobs of shoppers who are going to be pushing and shoving. I have things to get and it's going to be a mad rush to try to find them before I a) lose my mind, b) buy something that is too overpriced because I want to get the hell out of there and c) completely hate Christmas altogether.

Oh, yeah, here's the clincher. I got an irate email from someone this morning blasting me for my views on being allowed to say Merry Christmas. I tried to explain to her that Christmas started out as a religious holiday anyway and what's the fuss all about, but she insisted that Yule was first. What's this Yule? She's pagan, so I figure it has to do with something to do with it. I don't know. I'm religious-challenged, I guess.

So, my day is going swiftly. Hope yours is going better than mine and hope you don't get Christmas Anxiety Syndrome. Can we trade lives?