As I sat here this evening thinking of the new month about to come in, I let my mind wander over the month ahead and then the annual "GASP" occurred. "WHAT are we going to do about Christmas?!"
I know what I'm going to do about it. I'm going to enjoy it. I'm not going to focus on work. I've been focusing on work all year long and I've done about all I'm going to do outside of routine housework until the New Year is here. I'm dusting my hands of all the goals I didn't meet, the jobs not yet done or only partly done. Away! I want to make this an epic month of enjoying the season.
1. I'm not going to plan a family day at this time. I'm going to wait and hear what my children's plans are and we'll plan from there. I know when Katie's family is celebrating their day while Taylor is visiting, and we've got that date on our calendar. I know Sam will be home Christmas Day and I've already been asked to make time to see the kids that day. I have no clue what Jd means to do or when he's off. I will run by Mama's at some point during the holiday week, perhaps even on Christmas Eve, but I'm not planning anything.
What if they all get together and decide to come here? So be it. I'll make something simple, like a pot of chili and a big pan of cornbread and call it good. Okay? Okay.
2. Forget about it! I learned that phrase from a Brooklyn native and it's appropriate for the holidays, I think. Honestly, I'm tired of the push and pull and tug of wars that holidays have become. I hated it when I was first married, I loathed it when my children were small and everyone demanded we drag them all over creation for family gatherings, I loathed it when my holidays at home were fraught with tensions because some people insisted that certain other people had to be there, and those who wouldn't come because someone else was coming and menus had to be thus and so. I loathe the annual whine and cry fest that inevitably accompanies any holiday this time of year. I loathe approaching the holidays with my stomach in a knot, trying to juggle nineteen things and please all the unpleasable people. I'm over it all. Gracious what a rant on my part, but there you are. I'm done.
3. Plan some fun things into my calendar. I've already had John put the date for the annual Christmas program at church on his phone calendar. We'll go to the afternoon performance. I'm going to remind him I've asked for a visit to the mountain, not because we're in need of deep prayer but because it's lovely and I enjoy the time we take to talk to God there. John doesn't like to drive in the dark but I think I might be able to get him out if we keep it very local. I want to perhaps go to the Walk through Bethlehem a local church puts on each year. I think it would be nice to take the grandchildren with us there. I'd like to ride around and look at Christmas lights, another thing that can be done locally.
4. Bake our favorite cookies. And by 'our', I mean mine and John's. Yes, I'll probably make the one cookie that both Katie and Sam agree is there favorite, (Raspberry thumbprint cookies) but this year I'm going to make the cookies I want and John's favorite. John wants his Stovetop Cookies at Christmas each year. I want to make Date Nut Balls, Butterscotch Haystacks, Magic Cookie Bars, Pecan Snowballs and Butter Mints.... I don't plan to be a pig and eat them all. I plan to give a few away and if we have company, I'll bring them out and serve with coffee.
5. Make a stack of books by my chair that contain my favorite Christmas stories or passages.
6. Watch a holiday movie at least twice a week.
7. Continue to think about the New Year and get my resolutions worked out.
8. Live Gently. What does that even mean, lol? It means I'm going to go as easily as I can through this month. I'm going to make simple meals which will make John super happy as he likes simpler food. I'm not going to worry about what I can't do for others and instead focus on what I can. I'm going to decorate my home but not go over the top decorating. I'm going to bake but not tons because I enjoy it, but I'm not going to push myself to the point of stress. I'm going to keep my home as neat and organized as I can, but I'm not going to do deep cleaning. I'm going to sit on the porch and soak up the sun. I'm going to watch the sunset each evening and the deer cavorting across the lawn (six this evening when I was in the kitchen and one standing right under the Faith tree!). I'm going to gaze at the stars and pretend I'll search for the heavenly star and listen to the sighing of the wind in the pine trees. In short, I'm going to slow down and appreciate the season we're in.
And those are my goals for December 2024. What's yours?
Amazon Associate Affiliate Link: If you go to Amazon through my link and place an order, I may earn a small commission on qualified purchases. Thank you!
Psst! This link leads to the sort of candy Granny put out each year for Christmas. It's pricey...but I'm so tempted to get it for nostalgia's sake!
9 comments:
I love your plans. I used to run myself ragged; it isn’t what the season is about. Thank you for blogging
, I love reading it. Sue in Mn
These are excellent goals. Many years ago we excused ourselves from the whining and wailing that can be associated with the Big Holiday Dinners. When we lived locally, we attended and enjoyed, but we refused to participate in the stress. If disagreements started, we excused ourselves to go for a walk. Once we moved out of state, we opted to visit after the holidays. January was a better time to see people and really spend time with them when everyone wasn't distracted by the hubbub and obligations of the holidays. We have traditions we enjoy but they are simple, such as driving around to see lights or exchanging cookies with friends. If something stresses us out, we stop. For years we cut a tree in the national forest. One year we realized that was becoming a stressful time-suck, so we bought an artificial tree -- with lights already attached. So good for you! I hope you enjoy a lovely holiday season.
John is a great influence in this area. He simply won't be fussed over holidays...Of course, he can also utterly ignore them but he knows how important they are to me. I'm learning to relax and just do the things we enjoy.
No kidding, artificial trees that are pre-strung with lights are a sanity saver!
What a nice post. I must keep this in mind and try to achieve this as well. Holidays are supposed to be enjoyed and not feared. I will try to be more mindful with what I am doing to enjoy it and not see it as another "task". Today I will (also not must) make our advent piece and tomorrow we will burn the first candle.
Oh, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that that you hope to get out and see a Christmas program and look and Christmas lights! Some years ago you wrote about not going out to watch a holiday program because it involved driving at night and Terri, every year I find myself hoping you’ll make it out to attend one. Please do! We such limited chances in life to do holiday activities like that, but they bring such joy.
Indeed Wendy! Do what will add to the holiday not take away from the enjoyment of it!
E, Since we live so far from our church (35 miles one way) and due to the heavy deer population along the rural roads we drive, we try to avoid night driving, especially in winter. Thankfully our church is offering the program at 3pm on Saturday so we can go to see it, and drive home in the daylight after. However, I have been watching local calendars to see what we might attend locally. The Bethlehem Journey is out. It's on the same day as the program at our church. But there are plenty of other things we might go to and enjoy.
Thank you for the reminder to enjoy and not stress in the season of celebrating our Savior's birth!
P.S. Do you all have deer whistles on your vehicles? After an accident on the Interstate that could have been so much worse, we got deer whistles for our vehicles and all our extended family members. Deer are bad around here, too.
Post a Comment