This happens to me every year during the week before Christmas. Most of the other 51 weeks of the year, I’m a model of efficiency and organization. I know exactly where each member of our family needs to be and when. I know which items are the most important on my to-do list, and how I will get them done. I can quickly determine the whereabouts of my son’s missing Lightning McQueen, or pinpoint the exact location of my daughter’s other dance shoe.
But during this week each year, I turn into a crazy freak. I am overwhelmed by the constant buying, returning, gift-wrapping, baking, cleaning, errand-running, party-planning, menu-making, sending of cards, and decorating that needs to be fit into my already busy schedule. The weird thing is that I have scaled my Christmas activities down to only those things that I truly enjoy, but it’s still all just too much. It all makes me very cranky. I swear that if Shawn mentions one more time how much he loves Christmas, I will punch him in the face. Now, I’m quite certain that Christmas is not intended to inspire such feelings. It’s enough to make the Baby Jesus cry. Clearly, I am missing something.
1. So, my first question is: How do you tame the Christmas Crazies? Or are you as insane as me?
2. Do you send Christmas cards? This is a task I could eliminate, but I truly enjoy receiving them. And alas, to continue to receive them, I must give them.
3. Do you like reading Holiday Letters that sometimes accompany Christmas cards? Or do you find them annoying? I love them. Even the ones full of bragging or mundane details. Shawn and I both have large families, and those letters are sometimes the only news we get. Shawn writes our letter each year, and he does a fabulous job. It’s an Onion-inspired newspaper theme that makes fun of this wacky family of ours, especially the kids. We’ve had several distant relatives tell us they anxiously wait for it each December. My aunt told me she brings it to work every year so her coworkers can have a laugh at our expense. But I’m sure there are just as many others who find it obnoxious. Oh well…can’t please everyone!
4. Do you make resolutions? I gave up on that a while back, but I do evaluate my life and come up with a few goals I’d like to work on throughout the year. I eliminate things that aren’t working for me, and try to start new habits that will enrich my life in some manner. For 2009, I am thinking about running a half-marathon and volunteering at The Neighbor’s Place.
5. Do you volunteer? I’m very careful about volunteering, but I do it when it feels right. My time is precious, and I only want to spend it on things that speak to my heart. For example, I volunteer in my daughter’s classroom, but I wouldn’t want volunteer to assemble a mailing at the school. The mailing may be important, but I want to get the maximum personal benefit for the limited time I’m able to give. That sounds selfish. Is it OK to volunteer for selfish reasons?
