Simplifying Christmas
A few weeks ago, Joe and I made a decision. Together.
Instead of spending the week of Christmas in the car, we’re staying home.
Staying home is scary and lonesome. Staying home makes me feel like Scrooge or like the Kranks.
Staying home means that Joe and I will miss our respective childhood Christmas celebrations.
And staying home means that Joe and I are creating Grace’s childhood Christmas memories.
We’ve said since before she was born that we wanted Gracie to wake up in her own bed on Christmas morning, and this year, she will.
It’s important to me, and it’s important to Joe.
It’s a priority.
The past couple of years, I’ve not had good priorities. I’ve felt overwhelmed, and I’ve felt like my commitments took the fun and spirit out of the holiday. Things I wanted to do fell behind, and things I did out of a sense of obligation somehow fit into my schedule.
Not this year.
Well in advance of the holiday stresses, I sat down today to make a list of my Christmas priorities.
Joyful- Fun, excitement & the magic of the season
- Spending time as a family
- God, faith, and the “reason for the season”
- Love
- Contentment & gratitude
- Giving & sharing
- Food & treats
- A festive environment including sparkling decorations and twinkling lights
- Welcoming guests
My list of priorities led naturally to a list of goals for the holiday season.
- We will spend time together each of the 29 days of Advent to read scripture, pray, and work on our Jesse tree and Advent wreath.
- At least 3 times per week, we will do something fun and “magical” with Grace.
- Make or buy (and wrap) gifts for the people we love.
- Stop buying gifts for Grace. (We already have plenty of gifts for her – more on this another day.)
- Plan and execute beautiful Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas feasts.
- Make special holiday treats at least twice.
- Get the house clean and keep it that way.
- Decorate our home inside and out by Thanksgiving weekend.
These goals make me happy, and they give me an easy litmus test for new tasks. If a proposed activity doesn’t fit into one of the following goals, I’m not doing it.
Period.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll expand on what each goal means to me, and what my plans are for achieving each one.
Happily submitted to Tackle It Tuesday and Works for Me Wednesday
