Preparations for going "home"

Ever wondered what kind of a chaos each one of us goes through just before we visit our parents / in-laws for a holiday

• make a list (mentally, dodo!!!) of all the people you're likely to meet
• knock off the ones who you think don't deserve to be bought presents for
• rack your brains for the ones who are still on the list - for the best way to combine perceived value vs. money spent
• make umpteen number of calls to either set of parents to ask them what they want
• don't accept "nothing, we just want you" for an answer and then fret about what to buy for them
• come home and hide the presents from your kids, lest they open them
• show them to your husband when he returns bone-tired from work; and discuss them threadbare (X for so&so because of blah, blah, blah...) even though you know he'd rather be a million miles away from this discussion
• try fitting stuff into your suitcase a week in advance to judge how much space is "leftover"
• figure out suitable "phoren" presents for the entourage of maids so that you can safely answer the coy questions - bebi, mere liye kya le kar aaye ?
• think of how to keep the kids entertained on the flight - buy & hide stuff
• call your mum and discuss EVERYTHING
• start having sleepless nights because of the sheer excitement of going back
• start teaching your kids manners and how to behave with grandparents (say jai-jai, touch feet, no tantrums, etc etc etc) till they try to run away each time they see you
• try locating your salwar kameezes to wear back at home
• take out your bindis and bangles for the Indian bahu look
• wonder whether dad will have an objection if you venture out in a spagetti strapped blouse
• hoard chocolates and candy (from sales, of course), just in case, for those people who you forgot to buy stuff for (e.g. the bhabhi ki behen ki nand)
• make a checklist for the essentials - camera, diapers, favorite cars & teddies (heaven help you, if you leave these behind)
• check & recheck your tickets & passports
• wait for time to pass till you can finally gooooo.