once again......

i think i may have posted about this last year - but the Sjaarda family is at it once again!
the annual Christmas Shop.

if you don't know what i am talking about it is an evening every year where the 10 (yes you read that correctly - 10 + 1 in-utero babe) cart off to the "big city" for an evening of shopping..... and dinner on the parents (dave's favourite part)

essentially it is really an evening to help the more-pathetic-at-shopping-gender (ie. the boys) buy the 1, or 2 gifts, that they have to buy for the whole Christmas season. mom gets very little done amid the endless decision making with the boys.

and every year we have a blast as a family. we are getting older - but for some reason we still aren't willing to give up a couple of hours of christmas shopping together.

in reality we aren't even together for that much shopping. but we divide and conquer until all the gifts are bought.
if you are thinking that this sounds like the most deeeee-lightful idea and that you should do the same with your family i agree.

but here are some things you should know first:

1. if you are a big family not everyone will fit in the same vehicle and there will be arguments about who has to ride with who

2. boys will be "bored" and will be "done shopping" and "seen everything" within 5 minutes.

3. these same boys will find you 5 minutes before the designated meeting time at the end of the evening and inform you that they don't have their gift yet

4. girls are not the gender that has the issue with decision making

5. if you try to boss around your brothers you will be mocked

6. if you try to get sympathy from your husband after being mocked he will be nowhere to be found. see #2 - he is already bored. this may or may not bring about a 'discussion'

7. you are lucky if dad has your name. every year he forgets that there is a price limit for the name exchange gifts and that he and mom buy us a gift too. every year he will be extremely proud of the fact that he picked out one.singular.solitary. gift

8. there will be lots of secret glances, and on-the-look-out people for other members of the family. the "big city" malls aren't quite big enough for this big family

9. if you go into a bra & panty store to buy something for your wife your father-in-law will inevitably find you in there and a very ackward conversation will ensue

10. after all the shopping is completed and the girls wish the mall could be open longer, and the boys roll their eyes at the "just one more store" for the last time we will all head out to a restaurant for a lovely dinner. it isn't mcdonalds. and we don't even have to split the fries.
life is good.


so there you have it.
10 things you should know before you make it a tradition of your own. if you are brave enough to face the dramatics you will have a very fun evening.
we have been doing this for a while now.
and at 25, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, (wow we are getting old!) it is still one of the favourite traditions!!