Christmas Crazy
Oh, the irony! In October last year, I blogged about how preparing in advance for Christmas will protect you from the rush and weariness that so many of us feel during the holidays. Fast forward thirteen months. I have bought, literally, one present as I embark on this Thanksgiving Day. No Christmas cards have been ordered. A Christmas list has not even been started. I keep waiting for a day to catch up and find some time. But it’s not happening. What am I to do? Can anyone relate?If you’re feeling overwhelmed by Christmas, I invite you to join me. Here’s my plan of attack…
1. Eliminate any non-critical tasksThere are so many things that take up my time, but when push comes to shove, I have to decide what is essential. I don’t need to organize any drawers, clean my laundry room, or file the bills. There are appointments I can put off. As a matter of fact, I’ve decided that not blogging for the month of December will be one less thing for both of us to do… just consider it my Christmas present to you!
2. Give people myselfI don’t have the resources to purchase the gifts for friends and family that I wish I could give them. So, instead of putting stress on the budget, what if I decided to prioritize giving people my time and attention? I’ve found that giving a “rain check” gift of lunch, dinner, coffee, or a manicure is a great way to show my love. I give them the gift of time and conversation after the craziness of the holidays is over.
3. Protect the essentialsAs I mentioned in an earlier blog, sometimes you simply have to commit to doing first things first. Priority time, sleeping, and exercise can be the first things to go in our holiday hustle. In truth, they need to be the things that keep us steady and in our right mind. Make yourself do them first and you’ll feel healthier and more at peace in the midst of the Christmas season.
4. Make memoriesWhat good will it do if I’m always out shopping or running errands and I miss all the impromptu and planned activities that happen when family and friends come together? Whether all the wreaths get hung or all the appetizers get made is not what my family will treasure. With two teenagers, I have three Christmases left with the certainty of both of my children being home. Pretty soon boyfriends, girlfriends, and (eventually) spouses will change the family dynamics. Whether you’re single, the mother of babies, or an empty nester, decide to make memories that count this Christmas.
5. Savor some momentsWithout setting up some unrealistic expectations, I want to prioritize a couple of events, moments or occasions that I really want to slow down for and savor this Christmas. I bought Chris tickets to a concert… therefore, I know that I’m going to protect that night and not allow the rush to press in on that evening.
There will never be enough time to get it all done. It’s better to stop trying and exchange exhausted for joyful. We only get Christmas 2014 one time… let’s make it count.P.S. Here is the Christmas card photo that may never make it to print. Merry Christmas from the Conlees!