Two weeks until Christmas. Two weekends before Christmas. I’m trying not to focus too directly on those statements to avoid the freak-out that accompanies them.

I have too much to do. I’m not ready.

Okay, I admit it. I have too much I want to do. There are far fewer things I have to do, short of coming up with a few presents to take up to Connecticut with us, sending off a box to my brother and his boyfriend, and then driving home.

But what I want to do includes so much more.

I want to:

• Attend the parties friends have invited us to, including two this weekend.
• Write and mail Christmas cards. I love this annual ritual and am hoping to spend some of this weekend on it.
• Do some baking. I keep bookmarking new recipes from the blogs I read. And I bought some Christmas cookie cutters last month. Plus, I could bring baked goods in for people at work, who are always appreciative.
• Make a Christmas mix. I have failed at this for so many years now, but am closer than ever before to actually creating one. The problem is that I am a thorough (Rudi would say obsessive) researcher and am having a hard time letting go of that part of the process.
• Watch holiday movies. Rudi and I watched Holiday Inn tonight, but there are still so many others I want to see.
• Get crafty with my gift-giving. Also, do some knitting for me that is holiday-themed or desired to be worn for the holidays. This last bit, particularly, is seeming less and less likely.
• Take advantage of some of the fun things D.C. has to offer at this time of the year. The Botanical Gardens has a model train display that I’d love to see again this year. I hear Union Station has one, too. National Cathedral has creches. The Kennedy Center has a tuba Christmas carol concert on Monday. (Must remember — Monday!) G.W. has a Make We Joy-type event that I know I’m going to miss again. And it’s seeming less and less likely I’ll be able to get over to NoVa to catch GrooveLily’s folk Christmas musical. And there are others…
• Send the Christmas boxes off to friends far away. I am pretty sure Grey Kitten is up to three years worth of presents in my tiny apartment once I finish this year’s shopping… But at least he’s the only one of the three left over from last year…

I’m sure there’s more, but it’s late and I want to go to bed. Sleep. That’s one more of those things I want to do before Christmas…

What are on your lists of must-do’s and would-like-to’s for this season?