Today’s Run:  5.32 miles

“It is the most wonderful time of the year…” is how the song goes.  It is my most favorite time of year.  I am like a little kid come Christmas morning.

When I was a little girl, I would creep out of my bedroom to the stockings hung by the window with care (we did not have a fireplace, so they were thumb tacked to the window sill).  I would stick my hand into my stocking and feel around, trying desperately, in the dark, to figure out what Santa had brought me.  My little sister was too afraid to go out of our bedroom (we shared a room) to see for herself, so I had to check hers out for her, too.

Bright and early~and I mean EARLY~we would wake up our parents to open gifts.  They were usually pretty tired that morning having been up until early o’clock assembling a pedal car or something like that.  Those were the days.  Christmas was magic.  For me, it still is.  I refuse to let the commercialization of Christmas jade my love for this holiday.

Having children of my own (they are adults now) let me relive my childhood love of Christmas without looking too un-grown-up.  Since they are now grown and I do not have any grandchildren as of yet (Grandma Howard does have a nice ring to it!) I just try to keep my enthusiasm under wraps…when I am out in public.  At home, I am just me.  Is it not wonderful how you can be yourself at home!?!  I love it!

Today, however, was the “Official” Christmas shopping day.  At Walmart.

We live in a small town in Mississippi and Walmart is the only show around.  Anything you need, you HAVE to go to Walmart.  Ick.  I call it going china shopping because everything they sell comes from China.  Enough of that, though.  Shopping…

I had my list and yes, I did check it twice!  We went to Walmart, bought the stuff on the list and would not you know, MFH (My Favorite Husband) decides to try the new self checkout lanes!  Oh NO!!!  Those Things Hate Me!!!  “Not a problem.” he says.  He went, scan, scan scan…swiped his card and now we are home!  I have everything all wrapped and the gifts are under the tree.  Who would have thought it!?!  We did all our shopping.  We are done.  And we did it in one hour fifteen minutes including checkout!  Amazing!!!  Maybe those self checkout lanes are not so back after all!!!