ADHD Holiday Countdown

The weeks just before Christmas seem like the longest of the whole year. The waiting and anticipating and excitement make me feel like I’m five years old again.

I admit – I’m the first one awake on Christmas morning every single year: 6:00 AM (OK, sometimes it’s more like 5am) and I’m up walking around waiting for everyone else to wake up. Patience isn’t one of my strongest talents so usually I go into my siblings' rooms where they are clearly sound asleep, turn on some lights, and keep asking “are you sleeping?” until they aren’t sleeping anymore. I can’t help it; by Christmas morning I’ve been waiting for what feels like forever and the gifts under the tree have been tempting me for weeks.

Today, the first gifts were under the tree when I got home from work. My family has been so busy this year that no one has had much time to buy and wrap gifts yet. My mom said her goal was to have everything bought and wrapped by December 15. Well, it’s the 15th today and she did get the first things wrapped – close enough.

I, on the other hand, have helped mothers decide which sweater their daughters would like best, and helped men pick out gifts for their wives, but so far, I haven’t bought a thing. The malls are packed, the stores are crazy, and every time I have a day off the last thing I want to do is drive to the mall, park a mile away, and push my way through crowds all while trying to remember what I need to buy.

Holiday shopping is stressful for those of us with ADHD. We all know lists aren’t exactly our strong suit; but without a holiday to-do list shopping could be a disaster. And then we get home and have to wait until we can give our gifts! I get so excited I just want to skip the whole wrapping and waiting process and open gifts straight out of the shopping bags. Anyone else want to start a new tradition?