Usually, I’d be in a full-blown panic by now.
I mean – it’s only one day until Thanksgiving.
That’s one day, Kids!
Most years, I’d be thinking of how much I must accomplish before Christmas.
You know the drill but I’ll spell it out anyway – just for dramatic effect. 😉
The shopping! The decorating! The Christmas cards! The wrapping! The baking! The cleaning!
The very thought of it would cause my heart to pound!
Oh yeah! Full blown panic by now . . .
But not this year, and I’m not sure why.
For decades now, I’ve been part elf at this time of year, joyfully festooning every inch of the house with holiday glitter. Sir Beads has often joked that I’d tie a red bow on the toilet seat if not talked out of it. 😉
Suddenly this year, however, I sense that I’m entering a new phase in my life… a phase of simplifying traditions.
It’s time to decide what’s important, skip what isn’t, and then savor the small delights of the season. I just don’t want to jump on the holiday merry-go-round this time.
Could it be that I’m finally weary of it all? Hmmm, not exactly. I did have sort of a milestone birthday this year, and Sir Beads retired. Perhaps those experiences have given me reason to stop and reassess.
There’s so much I want to do and only so many hours in a day. It’s time to stop doing things simply because I’ve always done them.
Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE Christmas. I’m just going to try an experiment in the next several weeks . . .
I’m going to take it slow and easy – no “must-do lists”, no impossible schedules, no thinking “It wouldn’t be Christmas without ____”.
I want to stop and smell the evergreens . . . for a change.
How about you? Have you simplified the holiday season?
Hugs,
I love this post Crissie.
I often ask Terry if we are getting lazy. We don’t get done, or desire to do near as much as we used to.
With the house crammed with extra stuff because Laurie is here, I beat my head up against the wall to do the “usual” decorating last year. I just didn’t recognize my limits. This year I “get” it. Small tree and lights in the living room. With the two patio doors in the living room looking onto our long deck we will enjoy the lights from inside and the big tree I got at a garage sale to put on the deck to be decorated with tons of lights and bird treats. Its all good!!
Happy Thanksgiving.
xx, Carol
I had no choice with finals a few weeks before Christmas, there is no way to get it all done and study too. There are a few traditions I will not part with. Kouga dog and I will be attending the Jingle Bell dog walk, and I always put up the tree. Everything else is up for grabs and may or may not get finished. I cannot wait to spend time with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving! to those of you who celebrate it . . .
and a big thank you to EVERYONE who visits here!
You’re very special to me, and I’ll be thinking of you when I count my blessings this Thursday!
xoxo
Crystal 😀
I conducted a workshop each year for several years called “How To Turn Off The Christmas Machine.” It is a great resource and should still be floating around out there somewhere. We quit “doing” holidays years ago and just don’t buy into the hustle and bustle. We give gifts to young children and birthday presents only to very close family and friends and make contributions to worthy causes instead. We do enjoy special meals at certain times of the year but do not necessarily connect them to a particular day. We do not do Thanksgiving out of respect to our native heritage, very political but also very important if that matters. We try to make each day a day to celebrate in our own way.
I struggle with Christmas every year. One moment I love it and the next I want to run away. I usually get very depressed as my energy wanes. But last year – a small tree and not as much Christmas lights. The family has cut out adults for gifts. This has helped so much. I now have more fun buying for the kids and if I see some little gift (like a $10 item) for any adults I get it but if I don’t, then I don’t stress over it.
Funny…I’m in this same frame of mind this year. I want to slow down and actually enjoy the holidays this year instead of hurrying to do this or worrying about that. I usually bake like crazy the day before Thanksgiving, but I only baked 2 pumpkin pies and 1 loaf of pumpkin bread. I usually clean the house like crazy too, but I’m not doing it this year. I’m laid back and I like it this way! So what if the kitchen floor isn’t shiny clean or something isn’t dusted….who is going to notice anyway? Surely it will only be me…but this year, I’m not worrying about it. I’ve got one more year till I hit a major milestone b-day, and as I get older, I think I’m just tired of all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I’m slowing down and enjoying myself, my family and my friends. 😀
Great post Crystal! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! 🙂
We have opted out of the hustle and bustle too.Part of its financial and some of its my illness.Hubby is probably going to his sister in laws in Toronto for a few days and im staying home.the payback in pain of a 5 hour drive and 5 hour back would be too much.Im relieved that hes ok going by himself.
Years ago when we HAD to buy gifts for every Tom, Dick and Mary in the family….
I was in every “overload” imaginable. Right up until an hour before the festivities begin. Usually running around last minute wrapping. You think you can wrap it all in an hour. Not!! So, no more. No buying except for immediate family. No cooking or hosting duties.
In fact, you want to know how slow it goes around here these days? We ate Thanksgiving dinner out yesterday and I am right this minute babysitting my turkey (tiny one) in the oven. We will eat it for dinner today (and tomorrow).
For Christmas. Ditto. Really low key. Donate to charity. If I gift anything, it will be something I made especially for that person. I send Thinking Of You cards to my friends and relatives year round. I don’t wait for the Christmas season to remember them.