Monday, November 28, 2011

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

And, we're off...

I feel it in my bones.  The anticipation of completing my Christmas checklist on time and getting it done just right.  It's funny, I pretty sure no one else in my family is feeling this same anxiety.  Just me.

I wonder how these traditions became ingrained in my head?  I have to have Christmas lights on the outside of the house, wreaths on all the windows, at least one decorated Christmas tree (but 2 or 3 trees would be better), decorate the house with assorted decorations and greenery, send out all the Christmas cards, bake the Christmas cookies, shop for the gifts, wrap the gifts, clean the house, invite friends to the house, make the Christmas dinner.  Did I miss anything?

I'm torn between wanting to make Christmas memorable by doing the Christmas traditions and making Christmas meaningful by doing things for others in the name of Jesus.  In the end, I'm feeling as if I've added more to my Christmas busyness than I've taken away from it.

I am a woman who is able to remove an article of clothing from her closet for each new article of clothing added to her closet.  I am a woman who is able to toss items left unused or unworn for one year, but, I can't seem to let go of any Christmas traditions.  I have friends who send New Year cards because doing Christmas cards is too time costly.  I know of people who do not put up a Christmas tree in their home or lights on their home, and yet, they still manage to call it Christmas.  I want to be one of those people.  How do they do it? 

I've written on this blog about wanting Christmas to be different this year.  I'm still working on it.  Today I am mailing off my Soldier Angel Christmas cards.  Somehow, I cannot let these Soldier Angel cards replace the cards I send to friends and family, but in my heart I think this would be the most appropriate thing to do to minimize Christmas busyness.  We sent off our shoebox Christmas gifts, but this will not replace the gifts we give each other in our family.  Although, I think they should because this would minimize our Christmas spending. 

Maybe the best idea for me would be to just do less.  This year I will give my son just one gift.  (not counting socks and underwear, because, well just because)  I'm hesitant to say I will give my husband only one gift, (mostly because he reads my blog and he may not be happy with this decision) but maybe just one gift would be OK this year.  As for me, I would like to receive the gift of an organized house this year.  Maybe this will help me have a more meaningful Christmas.

I'm trying to think of my next meaningful Christmas giving.  I would like to find an Angel Tree in the area.  I've seen these before and I like the idea behind them.  This mission is to give Christmas gifts to the children in the area who have a mother or father in prison.  There used to be a department store in our area that always had one of these Angel Trees.  It was in a part of town I don't usually visit.  I liked it because you could go in the store, take some cards off the tree, shop for the gifts written on the cards while you were in the store and then leave them under the tree.  It felt really right and I didn't mind the fact that it promoted shopping in that particular store.  Too bad this store isn't open anymore.  I'm going to have to go hunting for one like it.  I'll let you know how this works out for me. 
 
In the meantime, I will continue my attempts at minimizing my Christmas busyness and maximizing my Christmas purpose.  Wish me luck.

13 comments:

  1. Maybe just sticking to one tree and less presents like you say is a good way to pave the way for a simpler Christmas.  I was waiting for a client in front of Whole Foods the other day and closed my eyes and took in the scent of the Christmas trees.  This is the kind of thing I love about the holiday. 

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  2.  I love this, too.  (love Whole Foods.  alas, the nearest is 75 miles away. :()  These are my hopes.  I don't know what it is in me that allows me to struggle with this.  I'm trying.  :)

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  3. nice...i am inspired by your quest to make christmas meaningful...we sat down as a fam to come up with an idea we can do together which means we are maximizing our time and having fun doing it together as well...that way we cut the busy-ness...

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  4. I think this is the best compliment I could ever receive.  Thanks for  telling me.  :)

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  5. Hey! if that makes you happy, then do it happygirl! Good for you! Your home must look so pretty! post pictures!

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  6. From where I stand, this is a good problem to have... i totally get you not wanting to over-stress, but I also think it's great that you have so many christmas possibilities! I hope that you can enjoy the fun and remember the spirit and find some peace in the midst of it all...

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  7. i appreciate your spirit. the desire to make is a CHRISTmas. We have angel trees in our little community, but they are for the poorer families in town. Also the Ministerial Alliance gives each of those families a box of food. Maybe a church in your area has a similar ministry and you can give, $$$, food or time for that.

    Due to my mom's health issues, and my shoulder surgery, it is a 'less' decorating- gifting kind of year here too. I like it. and i'm not even going to pretend to do christmas cards.....and i don't feel guilty at all.
    merry blessed christmas happy girl.

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  8. I like your ideas so far.  We're drastically cutting back on our gift-giving this year while trying to increase our other giving. I'm not quite sure where we're going to end up on this journey, but i'm enjoying it. :) 

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  9. You are right, Kati.  This is a good problem to have.  I know I am blessed.  This is what I remember when I say "no" to myself and "yes" to giving to others.  I want to feel the sacrifice.  If I just spend MORE and do both, I miss the point.

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  10.  You and your mom are in my prayers.  I wish you a Christmas of time, my friend.  :)

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  11. I love that you even just "Want" to slim down your Christmas. That's a start, right? I agree we have a lot of pressure out there to "perform" don't we? I think that's why Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. It's all about thanksgiving, family and eating :) and that's it!

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  12. Great thoughts that echo mine about distilling Christmas to what it really means.  I want to do the same. I know that we will decorate and put up a tree but that will be about it. Just to love each other and do God's will is what I want. 

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