Is it Christmas yet?

I looked at the calendar today and realized that we are half way through November and that it is just about 6 weeks until Christmas! I really want to enjoy Christmas and Thanksgiving and not feel as much stress as I have the past few years. Actually this year Christmas should be very relaxing because my brother Dan and his family will be coming to visit for the week of Thanksgiving. So I will just move my stress from Christmas to Thanksgiving. Wait… is that next week?!!! Yikes!! Yes, it is! I love having Dan’s family here for Christmas and they are not the reason for the stress. So what is the source of my stress at Christmas?

 

Stress Inducers:

• Gift giving - trying to find exactly the right thing for extended family that insists we still all give individual gifts.
• House cleaning – October, November and December are my busiest times at work and so I put off house cleaning until the last minute and then I feel frantic that I can’t get it all done.
• Being around people 24/7. I know that shouldn’t be a stress but for an introvert it really is. Plus I have a crazy conversation going on in my head that my brother is only here a couple of times a year and I should just suck it up and be there.
• Lots of going, going, going! I have a very large family and I feel obligated to attend all the events. I really do love my family and I enjoy spending time with them so I really do want to find a way to make this work.

 

Stress Reducers:

• Chocolate
• Laughing with the family.
• Looking through the pictures we take.
• Walking.
• Watching movies with the boys.
• Scrapbooking, card making, and crafting.
• Journal or document the holidays 20 minutes per day – every day.

 

So how do I make this Christmas different?

• Remember my goal is to having a relaxing time just being with my family as we celebrate Christmas.
• Realize that I need to let go of perfection.
• Make a plan of action to begin getting the house ready now.
• Make some homemade gifts to give instead of worrying about shopping for THE perfect thing.
• Plan to bake a few of the boys favorites like buck-eyes and cream cheese pound cake but resist the urge to overdo it.
• Be careful about which events I say yes to attending.
• Keep a calendar and check it before I agree to go anywhere. 
• Schedule down time.

 

I think that will do it and I’m looking forward to my best Christmas ever!

Here’s my favorite Christmas picture from last year. It's taken at the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando. Bet you can’t even tell I photoshopped myself into the group picture! 

Comments

[Carole]

Marcie, this is a great list!... it spoke to me and my Christmas "habits" of stressing out and seeking perfection (which I have never achieved!!), and getting so caught up in the "doing" that I don't take time for just "being" and enjoying. Thanks for the reminder!

And, no, I can't tell that you photoshopped yourself into the picture!! :-) Looks like you were really there!

Carole

[Jacky S]

I love your list....and can empathise with almost everything on it....so good luck with it.

[Julie Horner]

Marcie,

This is a great layout! And no I cannot tell that you PS'd yourself in!

Beautiful!

Juls~