I blame Thanksgiving being so late. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it. You can’t convince me that this is the consequence of my own inaction. I refuse to take the blame for the fact that I am once again being behind on all things holiday. I’ll get my tree and decorating done this weekend. I bought a single, solitary present, so at least I can say I’ve started my shopping. I suppose that’s not too awful bad for the first week of December.

In all my years of adulthood, I haven’t failed Christmas yet, so I’m sure I’ll get myself together — even if it’s at the last minute.

As everyone starts their holiday prep, I ask that you keep something in mind. This is something I read almost a decade ago and have shared yearly on social media and with y’all since.

“Just a reminder to all of you parents out there to be modest with your gifts from ‘Santa.’ Not all parents have a ton of cash to spend on making their kids’ Christmas specials, so it doesn’t make sense to give your kid a PlayStation5, a bike, and an iPad while his best friend at school gets a new hat and mittens from Santa. Give something small from Santa and make the more expensive presents from you. You can explain the value of money to kids, but you can’t explain Santa’s discrimination to a heartbroken kid.”

As always, I’m not telling you how to spend your money. If you are fortunate enough to be able to give your kids a new car with a big red bow and enough cash to pay for college for Christmas —you do you. But make that stuff from you, not Santa. Remember, YOU did all the work for that stuff; take your credit! Personally, if I’ve done all the work and have the means to buy a kid a private jet, I ain’t givin’ that credit to some guy from the North Pole.

Let’s remember that the current state of the economy is challenging for many families. The rising prices of everything can make it difficult to give our kids the Christmas they deserve. So, let’s be mindful of this and show empathy towards those who may be less fortunate. After all, Christmas is about spreading love and joy, not about who can give the most expensive gifts.

Now that we have that out of the way let’s talk about something fun! The Blaise Alexander Christmas Fun Coloring Contest! We are officially in week two! Jazzy Brightbells, Noel Hollyfluff, and Jingle Snowsparkle are patiently waiting for the entries to start rolling in. I know once they start, it will be full tilt until the deadline! They are so excited to see what the kids are going to send! They are delighted because of this year’s picture. See, as much as we love the Big Guy, he sometimes overshadows the elves and reindeer, who are really the backbone of Christmas. Where would Santa be with the elves making toys and the reindeer to fly his sleigh around? So, they are thrilled to see a reindeer featured in the contest this year! As a matter of fact, they are so excited to see the coloring pages; unlike some of our previous elves, they haven’t taken off on me once! I haven’t had to call the Mayor to see if they are at Brandon Park or down to Knoebels to see if they are watching the lights from the top of the Phoenix!

All of the details and the coloring page are on pages 18 and 19. The coloring sheet will also be on our Facebook page, so you can print extra copies if you need them!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to do some shopping!