I can't stress this enough!

Is it just me . . . or does Murphy’s Law always hit a person the hardest over the holidays? I had planned on this being my very first stress-free Christmas. To begin with, I chose to join that elite group of totally obnoxious people who not only have all of their gifts bought and wrapped by the last week of November but who actually had their choice of turkeys at the supermarket, therefore missing the traditional consumer slap-fest over the last Butterball on December 24^th.

I thought I was ready! The artificial tree was up (and bound to stay that way after I nailed the wobbly stand to the base in a fit of unbridled exasperation). The house was decorated with the kind of attention to detail one would expect from a busy working mom (I tied a bow to the porch light). Lastly, I gave the house a most thorough cleaning in anticipation of my mother-in-law’s visit (I changed the towels in the guest bathroom).

Then it happened. My youngest son called out to me after he was in bed on Christmas Eve. I tiptoed in to see him and leaned in close in anticipation of hearing an excited whisper of “Has Santa come yet?” but instead I heard the words every mother dreads, “Mom . . . I can't sleep . . . I don’t feel so good”. The kid had a sore throat, a runny nose, and a raging fever.

Now, I could have taken several different approaches to this situation, 1) I could have ignored it and had him curl up next to the turkey to help it defrost, or 2) I could have medicated him to the point of being mistaken for a dehydrated dwarf, or 3) I could have made him as comfortable as possible and resigned myself to the fact that everyone would be sick by Boxing Day; myself included. I chose the latter. I'm a mom.

Getting sick at Christmas is a gyp. I can relate because it had happened to me when I was young. I have a vivid memory of physically proving that drinking a large glass of orange juice when you have the stomach flu is a really, really bad idea. I believe this experiment took place somewhere in the vacinity of the living room couch. I also remember being really upset. It wasn't fair! Opening your Christmas gifts, while making sure you have a clear path to the bathroom at all times, just drains the ol’ magic right out of a holiday.

Next year I still intend to get an early start on holiday shopping but as December approaches I’ll be adding a few more items to my list: disinfectant soap, hand sanitizer, and Lysol spray. If a stress free holiday somehow equates with sterile living conditions, then so be it! And if the kids are really good, next Christmas I might get them an extra special present: A flu shot!