A few weeks ago my daughter texted me: 'my Christmas Cards are done, but I still feel like I'm behind'. 'Are you kidding?' I texted back. 'I don't even have my TREE up yet!!' Then I looked at the calendar. It was Dec. 1! Her card arrived in the mail the next day. It was the first one of the season. And that got me worrying a little bit. My cousin has always sent the first card, usually right after Thanksgiving, (for the last 40 years!). I hoped she was OK. I was glad to see her card arrive a week later.
Ok. So what's the rush? I am just as guilty. Until my cards were out and my tree was up, I felt as though the season was running away without me. I started thinking back to when I actually had a job and 2 kids at home that had to be chauffered here and there. My goal was to get the cards out and delivered by Dec. 24. If the tree was up 2 weeks before Christmas we were doing well. As a teacher, a scout leader, and a part of other groups, my focus was on getting packages mailed to relatives first, making Christmas gifts for scouts, buying gifts for other teachers, and getting things done before school went on break. We usually went on break about 5 days before Christmas and that's when I started my family shopping!
Now I'm retired. My kids are raising their own families (and in some ways emulating the habits they saw in their mother). I don't usually have packages to mail any more and the kids are coming here. Ordering a Christmas card photo with a holiday message and printed signature has taken the writer's cramp out of all the cards with personal messages added on.The pace has slowed considerably. But not the sense of 'the rush'. December 1 and I already was wondering when it was going to get done. In the old days I never had time to worry about it. I just pushed through each day and tackled the next 'this has to be done tonight' project.
1 Week out: the lights are on the house, the tree is up, the cards are out, and most of the shopping is done. The house is decorated with all my favorite tsotchkes (is that how you spell it?)--Hey kids, that's a local word for KnickKnacks. I feel much more relaxed about the whole season now, but I've learned, until all the decorations are up and the boxes tucked back in the closet I will still feel the pressure, even if I still have 3 weeks to go.
I hope you and yours are all able to enjoy the holiday season whether it is rushed or relaxed. (And if you can be relaxed my guess is that you are one in a million!) Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while you put up the tree and a glass of wine when it's done. Or Vice Versa! Or wine both times! Whatever makes your day a little lighter. Tis the season ... For a Reason. So savor the moment. What's the rush? You still have a week to go!
I've been really remiss in commenting here, though I read each and every entry. My own blog seems to have taken on the characteristics of being "abandoned", but - just as a sneak preview - I have plans to start it up again directly after the new year.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it is about Christmas and me, but the stress of getting it all done has plagued me since I got married. I didn't realize as a child just WHAT my mom actually DID to make the season "merry and bright". I now know - - and I'm not so good at duplicating that in my own world.
What *have* we done to this season to make it all so stressful for most everyone? I know I'm not the only one. Bottom line - - to have brightly colored decorations, wrapped packages, Christmas cards, decorated cookies, and pretty music there *are* tasks that need to be done which all take time. These have to be added to the normal, everyday tasks that we have to do anyway.
Maybe we have to not think we have to do ALL of those things?! Or - to do them in moderation or less elaborately. Maybe the solution is to start earlier. Everyone has to find their own solutions to these issues, and - quite frankly - I do not know what my solution is, even after all these years! But - the bottom line for me is that whatever solution I choose, it has to be one that will not distract me from the actual reason for this season ... the birth of Jesus.
For the record, I ordered our cards in Oct after you took our picture in Aug and then they sat on my desk. And I did not have a single decoration up when my cards went out. That didn't happen for another week and only because Warren was begging for it. Sadly, the next morning after putting up the tree, he waltzed out of his room and right to his stocking, looked in, and collapsed! He thought it must be Christmas morning since we put up the tree the day before. It broke my heart but was so cute at the same time!
ReplyDeleteI had/have so many ideas of traditions I want to start and activities I wanted to do to enjoy the magic of the season with the kids and have sadly done none. That's why I feel so behind. The season was upon me before I got the chance to put together my plans for the kids to enjoy. I've stayed on top of shopping, wrapping, etc, but it's the activities with the kids I really wanted to do this year. So now I have all year to decide on how I want to do an advent calendar for next year so I'm ready on Dec 1!Only time will tell on how well I reach that goal! :)