Pre-Christmas planning

So we're well into Christmas prep here at the Chateau. I think because of some of the challenges involved with living in the Arctic, you have to prepare for Christmas a lot earlier than people down south. For example, we had our plane tickets to from Ottawa to Iqaluit booked back in September. We simply have no choice in the matter. If you wait any longer than that, you won't be able to fly out. Or if you do, it will cost a small fortune.

Our tickets weren't too bad, actually, thanks to a little known deal Canadian North has. If you leave for an international destination within 24 hours of arriving in Ottawa, they give you a special rate on the ticket. Since we're leaving for Florida a scant 14 hours or so after hitting Ottawa, we're well within the window. I think our tickets were about $850 each. Which, for those of you down south, may still seem ridiculously expensive, but compared to normal ticket prices, it's a steal.

We've also got a fair chunk of our Christmas shopping done. Our gifts for each other is pretty simple this year - we're going on a cruise. I still have to get Cathy something for her birthday, but our gifts are pretty simple. I know what both of my folks are getting. One will be put in the mail shortly and I'm ordering the other for my dad in the next week or so. Cathy has either ordered, or has just put in the mail, the gifts for her parents and brother.

I know this might seem strange, but that's pretty much it for us and gifts. Most of my friends and I have long since come to the understanding that we don't exchange gifts. My family is large enough that rather than try and bankrupt each other getting gifts for all the respective aunts, uncles and cousins, we just draw a name out of a hat.

So essentially I have Cathy and my parents. That's it. Maybe that's not very Christmasy, but hey, at least I'm not going bankrupt this Christmas. Although we are doing cards this year, which will be sent out shortly.

So yeah, by the end of November, I imagine most of our Christmas stuff will be done. That's all right with me. Although waking up Christmas morning on a boat in the middle of the ocean will be a bit weird. But I imagine we will get used to it pretty quick.