Most Wonderful or most Stressful time of year?

It's that time of year.  Some consider it to be the most wonderful time of the year, like the song, and others would say it's more stressful than enjoyable.  I think it's a combination of the two.  The preparation that goes into the holidays can be extremely stressful, but getting to spend time with the people you care about the most also makes it the most wonderful time of the year. 
With any holiday comes a large to do list.  First you need to figure out where you will spend your time, and with whom.  From there you move onto what you need to bring, and who you'll be shopping for.  After you have the list of people that you want to buy for, you're stuck trying to figure out what to get them.  For me, this task seems to get harder and harder each year.  It must really depend on the amount of time you get to spend with the people that you're going to buy for.  My list is pretty consistent from year to year, but I don't get to see the people on my list very often, as I live hundreds of miles away, and I'm usually in the blue as to what to get them.  I'm stuck battling the traffic heading to the same shopping complexes that I am, and wandering around the mall or department store looking at potential gifts.  It is far from my ideal way of spending my time.
All of that changes though on the day I land at the airport and my family is there to pick me up.  Knowing that I get to spend an extended period of time with the people that I care about the most does make it the most wonderful time of the year.  Being with family and friends without having to worry about work for a few days has a calming affect on me.  Seeing the looks of joy on my younger cousins faces when I got them the perfect gift is priceless.  I can only imagine how much better that feeling would be when it's your own kids and not just your cousins. 
I didn't always feel this way though.  When I was younger spending time with the family was more like a chore than a cherished occasion.  It wasn't until I moved the hundreds of miles away, and saw them less sparingly that I was able to cherish the time I got to spend with them.  I guess the old saying is true, absence makes the heart grow fonder.  So as you prepare for the upcoming holidays don't fret the small stuff, and don't let the burden of preparations make this a less enjoyable time of year.  Obviously you're going through the stressful time because you care about the people receiving your gifts, so let's not forget that after all it's only once a year.

Thanks for reading,
Dustin Dominiak