Are we too caught up in the expectations of the season?
Dealing with… no that’s not the right words, muddling through a serious illness in the family this month has left me not only exhausted but so far behind my normal Christmas preparations that I can’t catch up.
Will my family still have a great Christmas even if it is December 12th and there is no tree up? I won’t have the perfect gifts for everyone on my list. Heck, I’m not even sure the Christmas cards that I ordered will get out before the 25th.
I’m so not in the holiday spirit this year that my normal beloved Hallmark movies make me nauseous and I have to turn them off.
What’s a tired, frazzled, and stressed working Mom to do?
Ditch the expectations and focus on what I need right now. And what I need is my kids home from college. And with finals ending tomorrow that wish will be coming true soon.
I realize how precious these year’s when they still all come home for the holidays will be. I plan to savor every single one!
My biggest gift to my family this year is to be present for them. I’m so often the one running around, cooking, cleaning, driving… that I am not still and I am not in the moment enjoying them. My goal is to slow down and listen more. Funny thing about kids this age, they want to talk to you again. I need to be there to listen!
Say no.
I realized that our annual Christmas holiday open house was just not what I needed to do this year. I knew our friends and family would miss it and it took some serious contemplation to cancel it. Especially since the invitations had already gone out. But I did it and the weight that lifted off my shoulders, phew!
Remember the reason for the season.
Re-connect with your spiritual side in whatever forms speak to you. Reawaken your childlike wonder for life and miracles, and most of all, be thankful.
Merry Christmas!
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