Last year at this time we were in the midst of a move. We had a six-week old baby, and the Spouse had just started a new job. So, the holidays were kind of a blur. While it was a stressful season, I will admit that for someone who struggles with wanting everything to be just “so”…
A blur can be a blessing.
We had so much to do and so little time in which to do it, I threw in the towel on decorating. We put up a tree and called it done. I didn’t bake anything {I know this is just shocking}. I half-wrapped the gifts. No one had matching pajamas or personalized ornaments. I think I pulled our stockings out of the attic on Christmas Eve. Besides one adventurous trip to a local walk-through nativity, I didn’t attempt to create any new holiday traditions.
Things were pretty sloppy around here. Boxes were everywhere. We weren’t getting much sleep, and our nerves were frazzled. Basically, our goal was survival. So, besides it being the Baby’s first Christmas, I’m not sure there was anything particularly poignant about our 2011 holiday season.
But, a beautiful thing happened… I let go of a lot of expectation.
I did what I could, and said “heck with” the rest.
So… now we kick off a new holiday season. 2012. We’re a little more settled. We can safely get to the Christmas decor in the attic. Most boxes {honestly, not all} are unpacked. We have some semblance of a weekly schedule.
And, in my head {which is where most all my troubles originate}, I am without excuse this season. Therefore, I can return to my regular perfectionistic self ~ that self who drives everyone around her crazy because she needs the house to be decorated a certain way, the presents all wrapped in a certain matching paper, the ornaments all placed in a certain spot, the cards all mailed by a certain date, etc. Truly, I am a joy to live with at Christmas.
It’s not even December and I feel myself gradually slipping into the pit of perfectionism that I so badly want to steer clear of this year.
Fortunately, my three sweet children are here to save the season.
And, they will have nothing to do with this Martha-esque madness.
I knew it would be a challenge to set up a tree with a busy one-year old this year. But, I didn’t know the troubles would start so soon.
These were my instructions to the Kindergartener, “Please watch your sister with the tree for just a minute while I fix your oatmeal. Don’t let her grab any ornaments.” The first ornament casualty: Monday morning, 11/26, 8:27 AM.
Poor Santa never had a chance on the hardwood. And, a certain elf showed absolutely no remorse.
The same elf showed entirely too much interest in helping decorate the higher branches.
So, now the public can view the tree but they may not enter into its presence without permission from a parent. I think we’ll refer to this room as the Holy of Holies, or more accurately, the Holly of Hollie’s.
In all seriousness, I am thankful for all the mischief and all the messes a certain band of girls bring to our world. They remind me {nearly every hour} that the holidays aren’t about any sort of perfection. They don’t care how our house is decorated or how the gifts will be wrapped.
They’re more into the “awe and wonder” part of the season. They love multi-colored lights and inflatable snow globes. They want to decorate sprinkle-laden cookies and make messy crafts. They want me to watch movies about elves and fairies with them on the couch. They want to know how Santa gets into houses that don’t have chimneys and if reindeer really fly.
They’re into riding a deer and a polar bear around in a circle and enjoying every minute of it.
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