Going into the attic
What a mess. I’ll put cleaning it out on my resolutions list in January. But, even as I write it down I know I probably won’t get around to it … again.
Digging through the attic
Opening one of the many unmarked Christmas decorations boxes, I discover that candles were stored in it last Christmas. Too bad there’s this season called “summer” that comes before Christmas rolls around again. Note to self: An attic that reaches temperatures upwards of 100 degrees is probably not the best place to store things made of wax.
Pulling down the fake tree
Trees weren’t meant to be manufactured by man. It amazes me that God makes trees every day. I only have to assemble one a year and get totally overwhelmed trying to figure out where the branches go. It would help to read the instruction manual, but one would have to know where said manual is to actually read it. I’m sure I put it in a safe place so I’d be able to find it and read it in all my spare time. The problem is I have too many safe spaces in my home. Note to self: Right after cleaning the attic in January, go buy a big … really big … plastic box, label it “
Happy, happy, decorations time
Each year I have Norman Rockwell visions of our family decorating the tree. But my need for balance and order just won’t let me leave the tree the way my kids decorate it. So, I find myself chastising my need for perfection the whole time I’m moving my favorite ornaments to front and center, straightening the angel and hiding the ugly ornaments in the back of the tree. Of course the prettiest ornament will get broken, baby Jesus will go missing from the manger and all my candle holders will be void of candles because of my previously mentioned attic fiasco.
Menus Shmenus
People who are organized Christmas-people have these things called “menus.” They plan big parties with appetizers and nuts and homemade candies. I am more of a covered dish kind of girl. I don’t need a well-planned menu to make my stomach happy at celebration time. I just need to invite people to my gatherings who like to cook, then mask my laziness by calling it a covered-dish dinner. This is one of the most fantastic ways to have people over for holiday meals as long as you invite people who like the same kind of food you like. Note to self: Remember who brought that horrid pumpkin shrimp soup last year and cross her off the invite list. Oh wait, I think that might have been me in some insane moment of feeling slightly gourmet. Second note to self: In an effort to avoid any such inspired disasters, you are not allowed to watch the cooking channel during the holiday season.
Trinkets, treasures and that perfect gift for Grandma
I have two words for my shopping list this year… gift certificates. Enough said.
My attitude
Am I having a bad attitude for Christmas this year? Well, no, actually all of the above mentioned things used to prompt a bad Christmas attitude, but not this year. “It is what it is.” That’s my new Christmas motto. For me to write an article pretending that adding all this to my already overcrowded to-do list makes me happy, happy, happy, would be fake, fake, fake. So, it is what it is. Doing some of these things actually does make me happy. Some of them are truly annoying. But the most important part of it all is keeping the main thing the main thing. I love Jesus. I love my family. I love celebrating Jesus’ birthday even if my preparations for it will never be written up in the “Who’s Who for Christmas Planners.” It is what it is and that has helped me turn my Christmas Ugggh into a Christmas Ahhhhh!
Labels: Seasonal
