Is it too early for a Christmas post?

On Monday, I had to go to the Galleria area in Houston. If you aren't familiar with the Galleria, it's an area of town (in Houston) with specialty stores, the best mall (hosting stores like Saks, Tiffany's etc). It's kinda a trendy area where people will gather, drink starbucks coffee, dine on the patios of little bistro's .. just a different life than I live. It's pretty there but oh so crowded! Anyway .. I was there for some business and there they were .. workers everywhere putting up Christmas decorations. Of course most people were home preparing to take their kids trick or treating as soon as it got dark but those of us out and about saw Christmas decorations going up! Of course it's been in the stores for months at craft stores as us crafters have to start our projects early to finish in time for the holiday season. I guess I just wasn't ready to see it on the streets yet.
It sure got me thinking about how close Christmas really is. It will be here before we know it. I didn't put up Halloween deco but moved on to Thanksgiving. But, my mind has been whirling thinking of the Christmas time approaching and how am it progressing on my holiday present status .. who have I bought for .. who I haven't.

They are small .. but oh so important to my kids .. stockings! My son is 31 and my daughter is 26. When they arrive, I do get a "Merry Christmas Mom", a hug and off they go to their stockings. Yes, they still get stockings. I have no grandkids .. and I just can't bear to have a Christmas without stockings hanging from the mantle, waiting to be filled with treats from Santa. So, here I am, so many years after I probably should have stopped, still filling stockings!

Each year seems to be more of a challenge. What do you give them to be different from the year before? Some years I have themes, some it's just all kinda treats in there .. small of course. My daughter told me her fav was a couple of years ago they got kid toys in their stockings. Everyone is celebrating Christmas in the house, and here are my two grown kids .. one is playing with play-do and the other is juggling balls. But, unless you are a mom, you will never understand the joy that brings to see your babies, no matter their age, enjoying toys.

So, today I'm in the stocking stuffing mode .. "what can I put in there this year". Sometimes when I'm stumped I will surf the internet for ideas on making something, giving something, doing something. I may not find exactly what I'm looking for, but there's always something out there to spark an idea for me.

It's just my two kids .. never their girlfriends or boyfriends who get stockings in my house. This year, I'm surprising my son's girlfriend and I'm making her a stocking too. She's been around now for several years, but it's just been something I've held special with my two kids. My daughter is dating someone now who is so wonderful to her. So, now I feel like my family is set (still waiting on the grandkids of course) but I'll be adding two more stockings to my mantle this year. I have 4 kids, not just 2 anymore.

I remember back when my kids were small, I made their original stockings of felt, glitter, sequins, embroidery thread, and the stockings were 3-D. They had toys, teddy bears, trees, whatever on them, but they were stuffed so it wasn't flat. Anyone who knows me knows I have to always be different. Anyway .. after a few years, I found some stockings that were decorative and matched our tree so I bought them. My kids threw a fit. "NO MOM.. THAT'S NOT OUR STOCKINGS!" So, they would dig in the Christmas boxes and find their stockings and on the mantle they would go. Their stocking holders are the original ones they had from when they were babies. So, each year, these same stockings and holders would adorn my mantle. The white felt on the stockings is starting to discolor, but each loves them.

I can't imagine not putting up those same faded stockings. They not only hold treats for my kids, but so many memories for me.

What are your favorite holiday memories? Remember, it's never too soon to start some!