Christmas Shopping Status

It's a busy day (the afternoon at the Pub Carol Sing and the morning turning an old client site into a the new wordpress-based site).

So I'll just tell you how the Christmas shopping is going.

I don't do all of it online, but I have a firm rule that I never go into any store that I don't like. Which is most stores during the Christmas shopping rush. After all, what would I be doing buying presents for someone who doesn't share enough of my tastes to want something from one of the places I like going to?

I don't have that much to do, since I only buy things for my mother and my sister. Occasionally the dogs, and occasionally a stocking stuffer for someone else, but nothing very strenuous.

My sister's birthday is December 15, so that means waiting until the Christmas deadlines is out for her. And she's a musician who makes about 60% of her income in the month of December, so I try to get her something for her birthday that she can enjoy without spending time on it.

She doesn't read this blog regularly, but there's no guaranteeing that she won't peek at it sometime, so I can't give you details at this point. But I got her an article of clothing similar to something I've really enjoyed wearing, and a book I've really enjoyed reading. Then she asked for an LED piano lamp, so I ordered her that. I'll be going down there next weekend, so if the lamp arrives in time, that will be the birthday present, and the surprise items will be the Christmas presents. Otherwise the article of clothing will be the birthday present and the book and the lamp will be for Christmas.

My mother pretends to not be able to turn her computer on, so there's no chance of her reading this blog item by accident, so I can tell you in a little more detail about her presents. Her asthma is even worse than mine, so I'm passing on the Asthma book I talked about a few days ago, and a roll of the surgical tape I've been using since I read it, and I got her some Tea Tree Therapy Eucalyptus Chest Rub, which I use as a lip balm.

Incidentally, using the surgical tape to keep my mouth closed when I sleep is working well -- I seem to sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

I should still get something more major for her, maybe a houseplant or a heftier, prettier book. And I don't have any good ideas for the dogs. But this is farther along than I usually am at this time of the year.