No I don't need a sprinkle of Christmas fairy dust!

Usually, I am a big fan of Christmas! Once I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the Christmas spirit, I get quite festive. But this year I just want it to stop and I want to go and hide in a cave somewhere until the beginning of 2012!

I was bemoaning my general lack of enthusiasm for the subject earlier this week to some mum's at school, when I was approached by the "Perfect Mother"! You know the one; perfectly coiffed and manicured, always stylish and wearing expensive clothes, often out "doing lunch, darling". Now, she overheard my moaning and came and grabbed my arm. At this point, I was more than a little scared. She doesn't normally stoop so low as to talk to the likes of me. "Now we'll have none of that! Christmas is a wonderful time of year. You just need the Christmas fairy to come and sprinkle some magic dust on you, and you'll be away!". She beamed and off she went, clearly pleased with the words of wisdom she had imparted.

Christmas fairy? Magic dust? Really? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I am not Scrooge, I just find the while thing a bit on the stressful side.

Firstly, Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier. I am still recovering from the summer holidays and people are baking their Christmas cakes and the shops are filling their festive shelves. Can we not have a law that bans even the mention of the word Christmas between the months of January and November? Some people don't even celebrate Christmas, so they must have a guts full by November!

Also, I am the person who has to buy all of the presents. This year, money is a bit tight, which is the first major obstacle. Christmas on a budget! There's a challenge in itself. It used to be so easy, but as my own and other people's families are always growing, it is a serious operation these days. Shopping with a pushchair is a challenge at the best of times, but when you are trying to discreetly hook the contents of Early Learning Centre on the back of it, you end up with pushchair and bags on the floor in a heap and small toddler (who you forgot to strap in) flying through the air and then screaming the shop down! Or is that just me?

In addition to that, the children of today have so much stuff. My kids have more toys than they could ever play with (mainly due to the excesses of my mother in law) and in some ways I find that this stops them playing as it is all too overwhelming. My children had so much to open last year that my then five year old ended up crying as he didn't want to open any more presents.

Then there is the wrapping! Again, my job. Yes I could let my husband do it, but i would probably then have to redo it. I really dislike wrapping as it always seems like such a waste of time and money! But I suppose a pile of unwrapped presents beneath the tree wouldn't be the same!

Then there is the Mother in Law. My Mother in Law loves a bargain. However, she is only happy if what she buys is on offer. She also spends a ridiculous amount of money. So the children end up with a huge amount of presents, most of which they don't really want. I have tried and do try every year to reason with her. I tell her that if she is going to spend so much, buy them something they want. But no, if it's not on offer, they're not getting it!

Then there is Christmas lights. I love lights on my tree and I like to see the lights in town. It is one of he highlights for me. But I don't really get these people who have to festoon their houses with lights and the garden with light up, inflatable Christmas characters! A few subtle lights maybe, but people go too far, in my opinion. As for their electricity bills? They must have more money than sense.

Finally, we have a glut of birthdays in December. My husband, daughter and I all have birthdays within three days of each other and there are some other family birthdays as well. More expense!

Having said all of that, I know that just before Christmas, I will get into it and I have no doubt that we will have an amazing family Christmas. I have been looking around at some of the craft blogs and there are some very clever people out there with some brilliant ideas for things to make, bake and create. And who can't get into the spirit of it all when the tree is up with lots of lovely presents underneath ( even if none of them are for you!), lots of lovely food and some Mulled wine. However, The "Perfect Mother" can take her sprinkling of Christmas fairy dust and sprinkle it where the sun doesn't shine!