Holiday 2006: Back to the Basics!

remember the good days, back when you owned red footie pj's and bounced out of bed at 5am to see what santa left you under the tree? remember shaking each package, and counting the number of presents you got vs. the number your siblings got? it was pure joy, folks. innocent, child-like joy.

where did that joy go? ... i ask myself as i peruse the 8th tshirt website. i used to love the holiday season. i thrived on the advent calendars (bonus if they had little boxes w/ chocolates in them), the garland, tree shopping, light untangling (little fingers are perfect for it, if you dont care about minor shocks along the way, which only builds character, as my dad told me) and anticipation of christmas morning.

for gifts, back in the day, all you had to do was attend your school class' holiday craft day and squish your fingers into clay for a pinch pot, or squish your hands and feet into non-toxic paint and make prints that would, in turn, get framed with popsicle sticks. mom and dad could not have been happier or more surprised!! all that oo-ing and ah-ing... oh the joy!

i ponder exactly this crafty innocence while searching through the 100 entries for "kitchen-aid, anything" at Kohls.com. maybe this year i should avoid the headache of hours wasted in front of screen. maybe this year i can save my aching back the marathon mall walks. maybe this year, i will make hand prints on newsprint, frame them in glittery popsicle sticks and proudly beam as my friends and familly open the package.

oh, what glorious joy will fill us all! now, what would i need.... recycled newsprint paper, popsicle sticks (that means i should go buy popsicles), glitter glue, regular glue, non-toxic paint in festive colors, a plastic bin and my favorite: a smock. i can feel it already!!! the joy is happening! its almost here!