Happy December to you, my friends. While it’s called "the most wonderful time of the year," it can also be the most exhausting. How many of us have been run-down and even sick when Christmas finally arrives? Experience and great advice have taught me that prioritizing, planning, and pacing make a huge difference in the Christmas Joy a family experiences.
What matters to you and your family most at Christmas time? Is it the time spent together? Is it the gifts? Do the Christmas photos really need to be done professionally this year, or in advance? What about using true Christmas day pictures from last year for this year’s card, and starting a new tradition? Is the biggest priority visiting with those you haven’t seen all year? A discussion with your spouse (and older children) now will likely help you understand each other’s motivations when it comes to making plans together. Our extended family—on my side—is quite large, for example, so we’ve simplified the gift giving by drawing names (and, believe it or not, found a way to even simplify that!).
It is a good idea to know in advance when you’ll be seeing the extended family, and to have it written down. Consider now if anyone needs to go to the hairdresser, and make the appointment a.s.a.p. Also, consider exercise and massage therapy. While it may seem like the most difficult time to fit it in, ask yourself if you have time to get sick and run-down this month. You may even have a little room left in your benefits to pay for your massage before 2012 is over!
Are you hosting this year? What could be planned ahead to make the party a relaxing one for you? I’ve been a fan of using Evite for the past few years to send out the invitations and directions to our home, organize the Pot Luck with their sign-up drop-down menu, and I love how it keeps us on top of the RSVPs. It even sends reminders. It’s done through email and it’s free!
There was a time when we had a solid three days of Christmas, and it felt like a marathon. From Christmas Eve through Boxing Day, we had parties and relatives galore, and Christmas Mass. Now, we take Christmas Day off. We do go to church, and the grandparents, an uncle, and close friends pop in for tea, coffee, and treats, but it’s a slow, casual day. The usual extended family Boxing Day party has been moved to Family Day in February. My parents now have our side’s party on Boxing Day, instead of Christmas Day. It’s just better for everyone.
Ever wonder how Santa manages it all (or suspect that Mrs. Claus plays more of a role than she gets credit for?). There’s a theory out there that I suspect the North Pole is trying to cover up. Remember, folks, you heard it here first. Some suspect that Santa is not the man we think he is . . .
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