It's the most wonderful time of the year.... unless you have to go anywhere, ever!

I love you more than... the feeling I get when I accomplish something (particularly on the wedding to do list!)

Goodness gracious, oh me oh my!  It is only just December and it is already CAH-RAZY out there.  My normally 20minute drive to work this evening took me 40mins!  WHY????!!!! Because it is gift buying season.  So everyone and their grandma is out behind the wheel of their vehicles driving 50 in the left hand lane getting in my way making me almost late for work! I'm telling you, if it were up to me (thank god it isn't) it would be a lot harder to get and keep your license.  I seriously want to know where some of these people got their licenses because I should have gone there!  New rule: stupid people are not allowed to drive.  Another new rule: If your not passing stay out of the effing left hand lane.  If it is evident the car behind you is going to go faster than you, get out of the effing left hand lane.  If cars are passing you on the right, get out of the effing left hand lane!!!

  Another driving note: if you are on your way somewhere and your route takes you past a mall, alter your route.  People on their way to the mall to buy presents are insane and will drive accordingly.  Also, apparently there are no rules in a mall parking lot.  For some reason the moment drivers enter a mall parking lot they completely forget the rules of the road misplace their common sense, go blind and drive like idiots.  This is my observation.

I love Christmas, but this time of year has gotten out of hand.  I actually would rather not give gifts at all.  Screw the consumerism.  The whole point of this holiday is to be with family and enjoy the season.  Somewhere along the lines it has become more about who bought who what and how much it costs.  I have never really bought into needing to have the new gadgets or the name brand jeans.  Maybe in high school it was important to me but once I got my first job and started being responsible for buying my own clothes it was about looking good on a budget not paying $200 for a pair of jeans (but they were on sale from $375).  I honestly dread Christmas shopping.  Dealing with the traffic and the mall parking lot and the rude people bumping into you in the stores and the craziness involved in finding the best gift for your friends and family, not to mention the ridiculous amount of money everyone spends (do people really get cars for Christmas??).  I am so over it!  We are suckers to think that if we buy our spouse just the right gift for Christmas it means we must really know them and love them.  I'm not deluded to into thinking anymore that if I get my dad just the right material possession he will love me more than my brothers or be more proud of me than he already is.  Why do we allow ourselves to be sucked into this extravagant gift giving.  i have requested of my family to consider a gift free Christmas.  I'm pretty sure they're not going to go for it but I had to try.  I want to rid myself of unnecessary stress this holiday season so i can trim my tree with my family, do a little baking, go out and enjoy all that Vancouver has to offer and spend my time with the ones I love instead of racing around crowded malls.  If not this year, maybe next year!