master of ceremonies, celebrations, memories, and anything else generally required for a good time

So. I'm debating on a Christmas strategy for today. We have plans to go into the city and check out some of the festivites and decorations. New York City at Christmas time is supposed to be a fun place to be. Last year I got some strange looks from people when I replied negatively to having participated in these sight-seeing events. These people apparently had waited to schedule their appointment with the optometrist until the new year, because I was obviously pregnant, had two rather small children who probably wouldn't be able to go ice skating, and the weather was a little more wintery than it is today. I realize there are those NYC veterans who go anyway, but in my book pregnancy + icy weather + small children = bad combination, no matter how many twinkle lights you get to see. In other words, I have never been into the city at Christmastime.

Here's the rub. Everybody is a little bit tired and grumpy. We've had a few different holiday activites such as driving around to look at lights, eating peppermint ice cream together, and an attempted shopping trip for gifts which ended in complete meltdown. It's hard when you're under the age of say 5 -although I suspect there is really no age limit- to buy a present for your sibling without claiming it for yourself before it gets wrapped and placed under the tree. Some of these events have resulted in later-than-usual bedtimes and that is causing some problems.

Also to be taken care of is the customary trip to the store to get everything you're going to need for the big bash, only to be followed up by the customary second trip to the store to get everything you forgot to get the first time you went to the store for the big bash, and please, oh please, let there not be a third trip to the store because Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, so everything has to be done by Saturday at midnight.

I will confess to you that I am one who generally prefers to sit by the fire with my mug of hot cocoa beside me, Christmas music playing on the stereo, a good book or journal in my lap- you get the idea- rather than haul people out for an activity that may get us out of the house, but at great expense to our (my) levels of energy and Christmas cheer.

That said, the girls are really excited just to ride the train into New York. They love that. We won't last three blocks past Grand Central, so the outing won't be too long. Also, I have no fireplace, my hot cocoa mix is a little stale, and whatever. My life is a constant balance between creating happy memories and preventing circuit overload. So should I ignore the absolute crazy screaming outburst my three year-old is having right now and say, hey! I think that this is going to be a fun experience! We'll see. Christmas come but once a year. And that argument can be used on both sides of the equation.