every year--
It does not feel like Christmas could possibly be just two weeks away. I feel like it was just Halloween. I am not kidding at all. Where is the year going?
Every year I am determined to not let the holidays cause me stress. Every year I am determined to keep things simple. Every year I tell myself that we don't have to send out Christmas cards, that we don't have to go crazy with the presents and shopping, that we don't have to get stressed by it all.
And I usually do a really great job of keeping it all low-key...... until about a week before Christmas. At that point, for some reason, I always get sucked into the hype and feel like I really "should" be doing more and that what I've already done somehow isn't enough. (Not sure what standards I am judging myself by.....) I start to second guess the amount of presents I've purchased. I start to fret when Christmas cards roll in and we haven't sent them out. I start to think that we should be making elaborate homemade gifts for everyone.
This year I am not going to fret or stress or second guess. I am not.
I. am. not.
Simple holidays are just as fun; I am sure of it. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and there is not a lot of fuss and hoopla around that one. I love a weekend all about hanging out with family and friends, eating good food, and enjoying a break from responsibilities. I want to make Christmas more like Thanksgiving in it's simplicity.
The things I like most about Christmas are pretty simple. Right now I am most looking forward to having lots of relaxed time over Christmas break as Ben takes some time off of work and the kids have two weeks off of school. I am looking forward to watching the kids open their presents to one another. I am looking forward to our traditional hot cocoa and pajama light drive. I am looking forward to watching "Elf" as a family while doing a Christmas puzzle. I am looking forward to decorating Christmas cookies while singing along to Christmas carols. I am looking forward to lasagna on Christmas Eve with the Kennedy family and sausage balls and mimosas on Christmas morning with the Hedenberg family. I am looking forward to the gift exchange game at Wingard Christmas. I am looking forward to continuing to work through our monstrously huge stack of holiday books each night after dinner.
And so I will remind myself next week as the "should-be-doings" start to creep in: All of these Christmas favorites are more than enough. My kids will have wonderful memories of happy childhood Christmases. Simple is good, even at Christmastime.
Every year I am determined to not let the holidays cause me stress. Every year I am determined to keep things simple. Every year I tell myself that we don't have to send out Christmas cards, that we don't have to go crazy with the presents and shopping, that we don't have to get stressed by it all.
And I usually do a really great job of keeping it all low-key...... until about a week before Christmas. At that point, for some reason, I always get sucked into the hype and feel like I really "should" be doing more and that what I've already done somehow isn't enough. (Not sure what standards I am judging myself by.....) I start to second guess the amount of presents I've purchased. I start to fret when Christmas cards roll in and we haven't sent them out. I start to think that we should be making elaborate homemade gifts for everyone.
This year I am not going to fret or stress or second guess. I am not.
I. am. not.
Simple holidays are just as fun; I am sure of it. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and there is not a lot of fuss and hoopla around that one. I love a weekend all about hanging out with family and friends, eating good food, and enjoying a break from responsibilities. I want to make Christmas more like Thanksgiving in it's simplicity.
The things I like most about Christmas are pretty simple. Right now I am most looking forward to having lots of relaxed time over Christmas break as Ben takes some time off of work and the kids have two weeks off of school. I am looking forward to watching the kids open their presents to one another. I am looking forward to our traditional hot cocoa and pajama light drive. I am looking forward to watching "Elf" as a family while doing a Christmas puzzle. I am looking forward to decorating Christmas cookies while singing along to Christmas carols. I am looking forward to lasagna on Christmas Eve with the Kennedy family and sausage balls and mimosas on Christmas morning with the Hedenberg family. I am looking forward to the gift exchange game at Wingard Christmas. I am looking forward to continuing to work through our monstrously huge stack of holiday books each night after dinner.
And so I will remind myself next week as the "should-be-doings" start to creep in: All of these Christmas favorites are more than enough. My kids will have wonderful memories of happy childhood Christmases. Simple is good, even at Christmastime.
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