It’s officially Christmas season!

 

 

I’m a stickler for keeping Christmas after Thanksgiving. It feels like the retail industry wants to push us earlier into Christmas every year. I know some people just love Christmas and decorating and all that so much that they want to get started close to Halloween, but for me Thanksgiving is a special time of gratitude and family. I like Thanksgiving. But I fight being resentful of the commercialism of the holidays, even as I’m tempted to get pulled into all the activities and shopping. For me, that’s just not the point of the celebration of Christmas – but I’m easily distracted by all the noise.  So I hold out until the day after Thanksgiving to get started on Christmas decorating. But now it’s here!

 

Tonight I’m sitting in front of the fire, writing during a rare moment of quiet in my house. The kids are out at Tae Kwan Do and I have an hour before they return and we have a couple of guests over for Taco Tuesday dinner. My focus music is playing on Spotify and I”m all alone. It’s so peaceful!

But a few minutes ago, the kids were running for the car, I was reminding everyone to get their coats, and their father was searching for the car keys. They took off trying to get to class on time, and I got ready to settle in and enjoy the quiet. Then I heard little footsteps on the stairs. They’d left the five year old behind who was upstairs quietly trying to get her uniform on by herself. I quickly called her father, who turned right back around and picked her up. Then they were off again.

 

On the road again…

 

What does this have to do with Christmas craziness? Nothing exactly. But you have to take the moments of quiet when you find them. I’ve been waking up early again with my mind racing, thinking about all the things I needs to get done for Christmas and lamenting that I hadn’t gotten organized enough to get all my shopping done between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I worked in the hospital Wednesday before Thanksgiving and in the office the Friday after, so I couldn’t have been out in the stores shopping. Besides, even if I’d have been off, I wouldn’t have gone out anyway.  I saw the videos of people fighting over TVs and whatnot – that scene just isn’t for me.

Now, don’t get it twisted: I did lots of online shopping for the sales. The kids needed jeans, my hair products and intention tattoos were on sale, and I got the kids’ Christmas gifts ordered. But for some reason it took me getting into this week to realize that I have two offices of nurses, midwives and doctors to get gifts for, not to mention I need something for my parents and my husband! Thinking about all that means I work myself up with worry, thinking that if I’d have planned better I could have finished all this over the weekend and just enjoyed the season up to Christmas. That’s my type A self talking.

Maybe next year…

 

 

You know what though? Things are really good, even if I’m not all done shopping. My brain wants to think it’s only ok if I can hang out and plan to watch Christmas movie marathons or bake cookies all day with the kids. Here’s the real deal: I’m not 12 years old, I work, and I’m not on vacation, yet. The Christmas tree is up, my black Santas are everywhere, and I even have a Christmas candle burning. I have probably 80% of my shopping done and a plan to get almost all of the rest done. It’s gonna be ok!

 

That’s the first key to keeping the crazy out of Christmas: Gratitude. I have to remember what’s good and keep my focus there. Even though it seems like it should be easy to enjoy life around the holidays, it’s so easy to get swept up in all the to-dos that feeling overwhelmed can suck all the joy from the celebration. This is the time of year I need to actively give my grateful list a workout. I like peace and quiet – the hustle and bustle of the holidays can make me irritable. Focusing in on the beauty and good reminds me how wonderful my life really is. Even people who’ve lost loved ones and experienced tragedy during the holidays can find the good moments and feel some comfort.

 

 

My second key to keeping the crazy out of Christmas is easy: Simplify. I’m considering doing something this year I haven’t done before – I may order dinner from Whole Foods. I looked at their offerings for Thanksgiving and was shocked that it may cheaper than I thought. I still might cook, but even the thought that I could make things easier for myself helps me worry less. Also, I say this every year, but I actually am doing it: The kids are getting one gift each from us. That’s it. Seriously! Well ok, they’ll get a stocking full of stuff too, but that’s Santa. The rest of the family sends enough stuff, so there’s no need to get myself nutty with buying gifts for them. All their birthdays are in the 30 days after Christmas, so they’re gonna get more then too. Besides, haven’t you noticed that the more stuff they get, the less happy they are? I think they get focused on the volume of gifts and can’t enjoy the actual gifts themselves, much less the love in each one. So yes, one gift for each kid from Mom and Dad.

One more thing: What will happen if you don’t do it all? Pay careful attention to your answer to this question. Your mind may give you all sorts or interesting reasons, most of which may not even be true. It might just be fine if you do less…

 

I’ve got more to do, and managing my mind this season is on the top of the list. My focus is going to be on gratitude and keeping it simple – and enjoying the holidays instead of worrying about getting it all done. Here’s to a joyful holiday season!

 

 

How do you keep the crazy out of your holidays? Please share in the comments below!