My Annual Pre-Holiday Freak Out

While waiting at the airport for our flight home from my sister’s house yesterday, my feelings of ease and contentment after a great Thanksgiving filled with food and relaxation turned to panic as I started my mental list-making of everything that I had to get done before Christmas. Gift-getting, decorating, meal planning, hosting, baking…. how could I possibly ever do it all? My happily full belly was suddenly twisting with angst.

I took a walk to Hudson News and returned with a notepad, a pen, and a cheesy womens magazine with a cover that promised me all the secrets to my “Happiest Season Ever”.  I had found the answer. This was going to solve all of my problems.

Throughout our flight home I took furious notes and dog-eared pages as I scoured the magazine from front to back. By the time we landed, I had my simplification plan, which read, in part:

1. Make my own giftwrap out of brown craft paper and colored tape.

2. Knit a stocking for our dog and fill it with handmade dog biscuits.

3. Replace beer and wine at our Christmas Eve dinner with  homemade peppermint schnapps punch.

4. Shop for a vintage festive punch bowl at local flea markets (see #3).

I was so excited about my new plan that it took my husband to point out to me that I had just added about 98 more things for myself to do. One glance at my long list told me he was right.  Defeated, I did what I sometimes do when the going gets tough. I had a glass of wine and went to bed.

This morning I recycled the magazine, poured some coffee, and started over. I made a list of all the holiday prep that I do every year and then I divided the list up into the next three weeks. Suddenly everything looked really doable. Easy. Fun even.

I didn’t have too much to do, I just forgot I had the time to do it.

I just may have time to make that wrapping paper after all...

xo~

elizabeth