Confession: I know that the stress and anxiety of TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH and not being prepared or having a plan for the holidays adds to this guilt condition. I used to follow flylady's holiday survival guide and it was amazing. Why I don't do it anymore is beyond me. I'm a big fan of being stressed I guess.
The stress and anxiety keeps me from making a list, being prepared and going shopping. I HATE shopping, someday I'll figure out how to make Ty do all the shopping like Stephanie does. haha.
When I focus on my favorite Christmas memories and their happiness I am content. I can focus on most of these traditions and pass them down onto my children. When I look on social media and see what/when other people do to decorate etc feelings of inadequacy wash over me and practically paralyze me. No joke. I slowly pulled out decorations yesterday and really analyzed them, are they in my house because I love them and they have meaning to me? Or because I feel like I "need" to have them out? Honestly, some are going to the thrift store. Less is more! My new motto.
A few of my Christmas favorites:
Christmas traditions I enjoyed growing up:
Picking the Christmas tree, this was a HUGE deal for me. It had to have the perfect shape and fullness in my mind to feel Christmasy enough. Do we have decorations long enough to cover that bare spot? no? then find another!
Decorating the house: I loved this part. Don't think I didn't go full blown with the tinsel icicles every year. My poor mom.
Gingerbread houses: my mom would make the real deal, real gingerbread, real icing (no super glue) houses for our teachers every year and Bishop. I have been piggybacking on her baking the last few years and sluffed but now she's gone in Guatemala! on their mission. time to strap on my big girl pants i guess.
Christmas music: I am a daughter of my father, I only love the NAT KING COLE, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Singers Unlimited, Bing Crosby and a few others. That is real Christmas in my ears.
Christmas carols: I have always loved them, the words, the music, the peaceful feeling. I'm a terrible singer, but I still love to belt them out whenever I have the chance.
Granny's sugar cookies: fluffy, thick, and with the best frosting, i have memories the most of decorating them with my brothers and sister and then having sugar toots the rest of the day/week/month. Remember that car trip mel?
Traveling to see cousins: this was the highlight from as long as i could remember. dad would always get a speeding ticket on our way (even on Christmas day once!) the shopping, movie watching, eating eating eating aunt lynne's marzipan and other wonderful memories i treasure in my heart.
*since writing this post i've found some great advice from friends (becca!) and online and my mother in law shared this quote with me that is just a perfect dose of Christmas wisdom:
3 comments:
I dislike shopping also. I think it stresses me out over everything else going on during Christmas time. I remember purging so much of my Christmas decoration last year and this year as I was putting them up. There were so many that I had held on to but never used. They lived in boxes never to be seen. I thought it pointless to have them take up space and donated them. As for traditions I think it's ironic how we try to force fun for our kids. I too think back on traditions and fun, and the best traditions weren't forced or stressful. They were the simple things that we were able to do together. I'm trying to remember that with my family.
I remember many years ago watching Oprah and her organizing guy. I can't remember his name now but I think he was from Australia or something. The show was about how he had helped this hoarder lady purge her home and fix her life. blah blah blah. The part I remember all these years later is what he said to her about all that stuff. "When everything is important, nothing is important." When you save everything because it is too wonderful/amazing/sentimental/special to part with, it loses its value. I feel the same way about Christmas and all the stuff that goes with it. If I take my kids to every Santa sighting/reindeer feeding/tree lighting/blahblahblah, it's not special anymore. And we're too busy and tired and grumpy and Jesus is no longer the reason for the season. Simple is better and helps me focus. I make a big freaking deal about having a beautifully lit big and real tree. And that's it for decorations. And I love it.
i've stepped away from pinterest and lots of the big blogs i used to read this month. when i focus on what i have right in front of me in my own little house instead of a professionally styled photo of someone else's house, my life gets a whole lot better. i have enough. we all have enough. what you do is enough.
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