I'm Done! I'm Done!

About time too! Christmas Eve is tomorow, and I have officially PURCHASED MY LAST GIFTS. I am finished! Hooray!
Now I'm entering a phase called "Holiday Guilt." It happens when someone you hardly know (or don't really know at all) either A) Mails you a Christmas Card or B) Pulls a mind scramble and actually gives you a gift or bakes something for you.
The latter happened to me twice yesterday. I had people I would never have thought of twice at Christmas, give my family baked goods and in another instance, a present. So of course that threw me into complete panic mode and I have decided on a pre-emptive maneuver for NEXT year:
Buy a bunch of gifts that would appeal to anyone; movie gift cards, board games, etc, and just have them wrapped and on hand (with a sticky note on the outside to identify what's inside) and a "To: (leave blank) From: (The Whatsits)" and have a pen lying nearby, so that when Mrs. Jenkins from down the street (who never smiles at us even when we drive by and wave and doesn't like kids) brings me an entire tray of fudge I can say "Oh, wait a minute, let me get YOURS!" and I can dash back to my stash of anonymous gifts, select one, hurriedly write her name and bring it out. Voila! Yes!!!
THIS IS A FOOLPROOF PLAN. I am amazed at my genius. (heh heh).
I do the same thing with Christmas cards too. I've sent all mine out, but a few come in the mail that I cringe at them and think "Dang, I should have sent THEM one!" And then I debate whether or not to actually run and send one because when they get it they'll see the postmark and know that I only sent it out of guilt as soon as I received theirs. (well, hey, I do that, so other people must!) Right?
I am just very wholly excited that all the presents are wrapped, Santa's presents are hidden away in the Scary Unfinished Basement Storeroom (where the heating system and water softener are: my kids are truly terrified of that place so its ideal to hide things there) and we are good to go.
WHEW. So now I am going to wish Everyone a very happy Holiday--and may Christmas Eve find you relaxing with your family and enjoying the atmosphere, and NOT in line at the local Kohl's store, or screaming at the big truck in front of you in the mall parking lot because he's been waiting seven minutes for the people to pull out of the parking space that is only FIVE FEET CLOSER than the empty space a little further down.
Breathe. Just Breathe...