Christmas Preparations

So I guess it all comes part and parcel with being the eldest daughter in a family, but I'm finding that more and more of my Christmas preparations aren't even mine.

This year I'm doing all the shopping for myself, my brother (which I've done every year for years so not a huge deal) and my mom. I'm also decorating the house, cleaning the house, doing all the baking, sending out my own Christmas cards, and sending out my parent's cards, because my mother "doesn't feel like it" this year, and my father thinks it is super important to do them but he's "too busy".

Argh, it's just frustrating. I've got two kids to take care of, one of whom is a breastfeeding 4 month old, school work to do and also trying to keep some form of income coming in. On top of regular things like keeping the house clean and keeping my kids happy I'm becomming the matriarch of my family, and I'm totally not ready for that...

The one thing I do love though is wrapping presents. I wrap almost everyone's gifts, and have since I was little. Even the gifts they got for me (just put them in a different box and I won't peek).

I can't understand people who would ruin their holiday by peeking at their presents before they get them. Sure 9 times out of 10 I don't get what I want, or ask for or even need lol but it's still fun trying to guess what it is and then being suprised on Christmas morning.

I'm pretty much done everything now, just waiting on a few deliveries (hopefully Mister M's big gift from Santa gets here on time... it's been 2 weeks and still waiting...) I can't wait until everyone sees what I've gotten them, that's the best part of the whole thing for sure.