It’s hard to believe it’s December 2. The Thanksgiving weekend went by so fast.
Traditionally, we kick off the season by going to a local “Fantasy of Trees” event on Thanksgiving night or the day after. While the girls are still largely uninterested in the actual trees, they are all about having their nails painted. Every. Single. Year. And, this is something they take very seriously.
This morning the Toddler was devastated when she realized her forefinger was missing its red polish, thus making it no longer “boo-tiful.” So, I feel certain I’ll be doing a reapplication of the red several times over this season.
I’m hoping I can be better this year about doing little things like giving them mini-manicures without being so impatient and hurried. My goal is to let go of many of my own silly expectations and not fly through these weeks before Christmas with a frantic/stressed pace, for once.
I read an article a few weeks ago that was especially convicting at this time of year. The name of it: “14 Signs Your Perfectionism Has Gotten Out of Control.”
Unfortunately, I exhibit around ten of the signs.
The ones that stood out the most to me were being “eager to please,” being “a big procrastinator,” and embracing a “go big or go home” mentality. I’m guilty on all counts of those three tendencies.
So… when it comes to the Christmas season, problems arise.
As is maybe the case for most people who struggle with perfectionism, there are areas of life where I am less encumbered by it and other areas where it feels overwhelming. The holiday season tends to be one of those areas where the expectations + the hurried pace + the desire to maintain proper perspective about the whole reason for the season =
Take decorating the house, for example. I’m eager to please everyone from the Spouse, to my kids, to my neighbors, etc. Yet, I procrastinate and end up with serious analysis paralysis about the whole thing. AND, my “go big or go home” approach creates a lot of unnecessary stress for everyone involved.
When it comes to prepping the outside of the house for Christmas, this is along the lines of what I think it should look like:
via Pinterest {justcallmegrace.tumblr.com}
Please note: this looks nothing like our house. For starters, our house is brick. Secondly, we don’t have columns… or a front porch. And, thirdly, it doesn’t typically snow here before Christmas except in the event of a fluke like last week’s pre-Thanksgiving dusting. But, in my mind, this is how Christmas should look.
And, yet, I recall the aforementioned article about how perfectionism can be out of control…
So, I’m trying to regroup and re-prioritize.
And, in my quest to really let it go and take a proactive stance against my own obsessive tendencies, I’m one Lowe’s trip away from setting this scene up in our front yard:
I’m not sure what our HOA would say about this. I suspect it wouldn’t be favorable.
But, it might just be worth the joy it would bring the girls… and all our other 10-and-under neighbors.
I mean sure, it still falls into that “go big or go home” category, but I think it would be a baby step away from the pursuit of perfection.
Unless of course you’re six years old and think this is perfection.
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