How are you all coping with this season and all the shopping, gatherings and to-dos? I love Christmas, but to be honest each day feels like I’m running a mad race to get everything checked off my list so I can finally enjoy. I do this every year and I realize I often don’t savor the little things of the season rushing about like that.
The other night I had a few hours with the men gone at the Star Wars movie. My mind was telling me all the things I should use the evening to catch up on -wrapping or writing Christmas Cards. That is my usual mode, trying to hack away at things here and there, not so successfully. Then I thought no way, I’m going to put on my pjs and watch a Christmas movie. Somehow I ended up watching Valley Girl, which I caught on some odd channel and is not a holiday film at all. That film held up! It was pretty enjoyable, especially with the young Nicholas Cage and the great music from 1983. I digress, but it was one of those moments this season I have really appreciated by the fire, a great old movie that had me reminiscing. It was pure enjoyment even though I ‘should’ have been doing otherwise. In a season of so many shoulds what we really should do is take more time such little joys.
Other things that I have been meaningful-
- Playing all our old holiday CDs from Frank Sinatra to Peanuts and The Carpenters, while writing out cards with a cup of Christmas tea.
- Making little bags of cookies with homemade tags for the neighbors.
- Creating a tree on the wall with all the Christmas cards we are getting and washi tape.
- Driving with my kids to look at the holiday lights in town.
- Coffee with friends.
- Looking through my mom’s Betty Crocker Cooky Book from 1963 with all her precious handwritten notes.
- Chatting with my grandma about Christmas’s past and all her tree ornaments I still remember from childhood!
- Reading a very long handwritten Christmas letter from my 93 year old great Aunt Pat from Iowa and sending a reply.
- Festooning a $6 Noble Fir wreath from Trader Joes with succulents and found yard bits to make it a little different and funky.
I know I’m still behind on cards, shopping and wrapping, but as my mom used to tell me -it will all get done. Anyhow, this mad rush to get things done earlier and earlier is crazy. People used to decorate their trees and shop on Christmas Eve, not so long ago! Now it’s become an all-encompassing months long lead-up.
I hope you are finding a few moments of joy and peace too. I’d love to hear what small things have made this season special for you too.
Next up I’m going to share some California Christmas ideas and a new cookie recipe I tweaked that I am loving this season.
Enjoy all the little bits of the season.
Kim
