Handling the Holidays

Are you ready? Ready for what? The holidays are coming! Are your holidays filled with hustle and bustle, or are they cozy and warm? Maybe a little bit of both?

I have always said I wished that the holidays were longer than a month because there are so many fun things to do. Each year, I try to do it all, and I don’t really know if I ever have enough time to fully enjoy the season. I mean how are we supposed to pack in parties, cookie baking, decorating, shopping, gift wrapping and oh so many other things into one month? It’s nearly impossible. I don’t know if I truly LOVE all those things or if I love the extra time spent with family and friends. 

One of the ways I’ve changed my perspective to help me manage the hustle and bustle of the holidays is to minimize. I’ve minimized the amount of holiday decor around the house. I put up a few trees, and that’s about it. Frankly, I just don’t like putting all the other decorations away when January rolls in.

The Christmas trees were keepers though because those really are my favorite holiday decoration. At first, it was hard to make the decision to cut down on holiday decor. I felt like I would be letting my family down, and I was worried that Christmas wouldn’t feel the same. However, the joy and love is still there, regardless of the number of string lights or crystal snowflakes.

I have also cut back on the number of gifts I buy. Some gifts are larger than they used to be, but there are definitely fewer packages under the tree than when my daughters were children. I’ve also moved away from wrapping gifts and shifted to using gift bags. These minimizations may seem small, but they have resulted in letting go of so many holiday traditions that were weighing me down. 

By cutting back in some areas, I have been able to make room for the things I truly enjoy. I have kept the traditions that bring me joy: baking cookies, going Christmas shopping, watching Hallmark movies, looking at Christmas lights, eating pizza on Christmas Eve, getting dressed up, going to church, and, of course, spending time with my family. These traditions have always been, and always will be, what is truly important to me. Cutting back on the holiday frills has allowed me to fully appreciate the season’s gifts.

When you fill your holidays with the people you love most, I promise the season will feel merry and bright! 

What I have learned: Friends and family make the holidays joyful.