As with so much in my life these days, I am certain that scaling back expectations will be key to really enjoying these holidaze. It’s T minus 5 days to Christmas, my holiday to-do lists runneth over, and my elves bailed out on me at the last minute (so unreliable, those elves). We’re definitely not a “make a big deal out of Christmas” kind of family, but we do like to put up and decorate a tree, and — especially now that we have an exuberant 4-year-old — do at least one or two fun things like making cookies, crafts or whatnot.
We also live in a historic district of Albuquerque that’s on the luminaria tour route, so that means we’re pretty much committed to cleaning our yard, setting out 100+ luminarias and lighting them on Christmas Eve. It doesn’t sound like a big deal but anyone who’s been out there lighting them as the sun goes down and the tour buses start rolling down the street knows there’s at least a little stress involved!
Then there’s work. I’ve got a new book percolating (!), plus two large-ish client projects that want my attention even in the midst of holiday chaos.
To keep my sanity, I’m setting my mind to prioritizing, and to letting go. Will I reach my goal of making handcrafted gifts for the whole family this year? (I can hear you laughing.) Um, no. But I will be really pleased if I can finish the plush blankie I’m making for Jasper. I definitely want to make some cute decorated sugar cookies with Jila, but I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t get those holiday cards in the mail (the boxes have been piled on the table mocking me for days). At this point I’m shooting for quality, non-angst-ridden time with the fam — and getting all those luminarias lit in time for the tour.
So in the spirit of recycling — and as a fond farewell to DADT — please enjoy our holiday card from last year.
Happy holidaze everyone — and keep breathing!
