sad Christmas tree

I know it is bad to be openly Christmas shopping (or, window shopping) on the Internet while at work, but today I think everyone is a few rungs low. The office party was last night and the forced niceness has resulted in some pretty fierce nasty hangovers.

I am glad that I had an e-mail talk with one of our freelancers earlier this month, however. Editing her usually gave me a headache but she’s been proofing her work (what a concept!) before she sends it in and that means less work for me. Less hair-tugging, eye-rubbing, wonderment type of work.

I don’t know what it is but the last few years have been less Christmassy. I love the season, I would be content to just sit in front of my tree all night and day. But the last few years it just flies by so quickly and all of a sudden I am running out to stores and finding things sold out, shelves ransacked, and wrapping hurriedly in tissue paper.

More of a reason why I like the idea of making presents. I get the immediate satisfaction of having it in my hand, and the practice of working on it. Granted, some people I give to are too, hmmm, let’s say on a one-track-mind to appreciate a homemade gift. I also can’t assume that my skills are really up there with mass production. Perhaps in another year or so. Then again, some people just like gadgets.

I am also at a loss as to crafty gifts for boys/men. I know the knit thing might work for a sweater or hat but I seem to have a mental block about working in dull colors like gray and browns. I have a basket full of yarn and there might be a lump of dull Donegal tweed sitting in a big knot at the bottom of it. Funny, as I am typing, I just realized maybe it isn’t as hard as it seems. My brother probably would wear a nice knit hat and a scarf. And a certain someone else is waiting for me to make a wallet that I promised him after I ripped up his old one to see the construction…