Holiday Traditions

This time of year, I often begin to examine our lives and try to simplify things in time for the Holidays. We celebrate Christmas in our house, but whatever your family's holiday traditions, I think this time of year is hectic and busy. Seeing folks post on Facebook that it is only X days until Christmas and the dreaded comments that ensue is hilarious and sad. Everyone seems to dread a holiday that is supposed to be happy and joyful.

Some of the things I'm doing this year to simplify our lives (aka save money and be more joyful) at the holidays:

• Making gifts - my kids enjoy making things and one of Evie's 'goals' this year is to make Christmas decorations for the tree and to give as gifts. I've been making jams, fruit butters and jellies all year for myself. I've made sure to make plenty extra so I can give these things away as useful and meaningful gifts to those around us. We also have gigantic pecan trees in our yard and I'm going to collect these nuts as gifts for my extended family and our friends.
• Shopping online - I have four kids. My husband has a demanding job. My kids are with me pretty much 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This does not make for surprise shopping. So, most of my shopping - at least for my children is done online. I also made the kids make Amazon.com wish lists. I sat down with the older three and I asked them what they wanted. They made HUGE lists and were told they would not be getting everything on the list. Then after they went to bed, I went on their amazon lists, bought up to the dollar limit we had set for each of them and then passed the rest of the lists on to family who asks what to get them to try and make their Christmas shopping easier.
• Making gift wrapping fun - Schedule it, don't dread it. I've put it on my calendar - on Saturday, November 21, I am going to be wrapping Christmas gifts. By that day, I want to have everything bought - including the items for extended family so I can wrap, tie on the bows, put on the pretty gift tags and just try and enjoy the whole experience.
• Baking - I love nothing more than baking for people. I bake cookies, candies, breads. Anything I can enjoy and my family can enjoy.
• Scaling back on scheduled activities - My kids are in Taekwondo and Theatre classes. These are things my kids can't really miss all that often, but we are trying to at least scale back on Taekwondo until after Christmas. This means the kids won't be able to test for their next belt until February, but as long as we are going slowly enough, my kids can make new goals for Taekwondo after the beginning of the year when the holidays slow down a bit. Theatre is going to get very busy in December with performances and we have to be sure we spend time relaxing.

I'm going to enjoy Christmas - I refuse to get stressed out about the things that in the end, really matter very little in the larger scheme. I hope those around me can be just as relaxed.