{She Said} Hullabaloo Around the Holidays

I am overwhelmed with a desire to change my little family's holiday experience. One problem I have had in the past has been a tendency to just want things that were out of my control to change. After meditating on that a while, I am trying to change that mentality.

A couple problems I am already planning solutions for...
- Too much to do and not enough time to do it- with out time to sit around and just soak up the holiday moments, before we know it they are gone. Therefore, I am accepting that I may no longer be able to make our Christmas cards by hand, make homemade ornaments every year, hold multiple holiday get togethers, attend every gathering we are invited to, cook lavish meals for all, and/or spend hours perfecting every decoration in our house. I must prioritize better and I started this year.

- I can not make everyone happy. This might mean that I can't accommodate everyones schedule perfectly and therefore might miss out on some things. I won't be able to create the perfect holiday for everyone- nor is that my job.

- We can not travel and/or prepare for traveling at the same time we are trying to enjoy family time together for holidays. Traveling is going to have to start being planned so as the prep for the traveling doesn't interfere with quality time, traditions, and memories.

-We can not prepare for entertaining and/or clean up after entertaining at the same time we are trying to enjoy family time together for holidays. Entertaining is going to have to start being planned so as the prep and clean up doesn't interfere with quality time, traditions, and memories.


Some thoughts on changes and plans for next year:
-We will not have multiple Thanksgiving meals leading up to the day- when we have a whole slew of Thanksgivings, we get to the day and are sick of Turkey and fixins and are exhausted from all the moving about all over the place.

- We will not travel from noon on Christmas Eve until noon on the day after Christmas

- If hosting a get together or meal, others will be asked to bring completed dishes (no prep at our house) and disposable cooking accouterments will be purchased to minimize the mess. Catering is another option.

- We will be following in the footsteps of our buddies, The Semi, and having homemade pizza for Christmas Eve dinner. If it works out, we will follow the same schedule as this year: dinner, Christmas Eve service, then driving around looking at Christmas lights. That was lovely.

- We will have more silent and still time. Matt has already brought more of this into my life but I can still get carried away so I will be more intentional in this area.