And now we contemplate how to tackle all the activities of this Christmas season.
We do have a choice.
Try to pack as many things as possible in the few short weeks we have left as we spread ourselves thinner and thinner - or step back and realize we are human and have our limits. We don't have to do it all to make the season wonderful.
Easier said than done.
I know -- the "to do" list can be endless this time of year. Put up and decorate the Christmas tree; skillfully stage holiday decorations throughout the house; hang lights outside on the trees, railing, and roof line; shop for Christmas gifts; bake cookies and candies; attend seasonal events and concerts; get together with friends and relatives; write the Christmas letter; take family photos; address and mail the Christmas cards -- WHEW!
While we may want to do it all - I think we need to step back, prioritize - and make some concessions to our original plans...
I had written the Christmas letter weeks before - a family picture was taken on Thanksgiving day - photo cards were designed and ordered all by Saturday night. The envelopes were out the door mid-week. Task number one -- check off the list. (Don't laugh, I really do make lists...and check things off.)
As a family we put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving. I adorned the house that weekend with most of our Christmas decorations and the thought that I would put up the rest of the holiday items the next week. Well, this weekend, as Lance put up lights on the evergreen in our front yard, I realized that maybe I can be finished - the house looks festive and no one but me will know I could probably have put out more boxes of decorations.
So, instead of putting the pressure on myself to produce the "perfect" Christmas I think I will put the activities I enjoy most at the top of my To Do list and forget about the rest.
It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that we sometimes forget what we are truly celebrating. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ - our Lord and Savior. Not about how well we decorate the house, how many activities we attend, or how many cookies we bake.
As I've already taken care of the "must do's" on my list, I have decided the rest of this season I will just relax and enjoy.
So, over the next few weeks, if I feel the urge to bake cookies, I will. If I want to take Ellie for a long walk under the moonlit sky, I will. If I want to enjoy a cup of coffee while I do nothing but listen to Christmas songs, I will. If I want to watch a sappy holiday movie, I will.
Accompanied by Lance I'll enjoy some Christmas concerts, appreciate the lovely lights of the holiday season, eat some favorite foods, drink some wintertime beverages, and spend time with family and friends.
On Christmas Eve, I will be with my family, reliving the story of Jesus birth and happily singing carols as we attend the candlelight service at our church. On Christmas morning we will open gifts, eat our traditional brunch, and spend time catching up with each other.
And that is my wish for us all this year...a Christmas season that brings us absolute peace and joy.
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