I made a conscious decision to have a more simple holiday this year -- to chose which traditions meant the most to me and let everything else slide. I vowed to quit doing things I didn't want to do just because I felt I "had" to or "should."
Aside from my tirade two Sundays before Xmas (See my Dec. 17 post, "He'll Never Learn ... Or Maybe He Will") when I was trying to fit every single holiday task into one weekend, I think I did pretty well.
I did not go overboard on gifts for anyone (except maybe my parents, but, frankly, I owe them). And, I didn't overthink every single gift I bought or search for hours on end for just the right item at just the right price. If our family exchange called for a $25 gift and I got a $35 chip-n-dip bowl on sale for $18 -- I decided not to go searching around for another $7 gift. That said, when the other exchange gift was $3 more than our "limit," I bought it anyway. No sense wandering around looking for something cheaper. Spared myself plenty of aggravation and probably a good two hours wandering around Kohl's.
We never did get around to decorating outside. Truth is, I'd never have gotten around to decorating inside had the kids not forced the issue. Apparently, that's a tradition that really matters to them. I have tons of decorations -- back in the day I used to do the house up right, just like mom. Now, I don't even bother bringing the Christmas dishes upstairs, let alone switching them out with our everyday dishes.
I don't like to cook or bake, really...so that was easy to leave on the table. I participated in the family cookie baking day -- mostly for the wine and gourmet lunch provided by my sister -- and the girls and I made a Baby Jesus Birthday cake to eat on Christmas morning. Cookies and cake for breakfast -- it doesn't get any better than that.
When I ran out of gift tags, instead of running to the store to get more, I wrote on top of the paper in Sharpie marker. Same results -- less hassle. Not nearly as pretty, but...there is beauty in simplicity, no?
We turned down party invitations. I stubbornly refused to host any of my own (I may be many things, but a good party host is not one of them).
I guarded our holiday time fiercely.
(Gee, typing all this out makes me look kinda selfish, eh).
But, I was rewarded. Scratch that. WE were rewarded with the most enjoyable, low-key Christmas I've had in years.
We had time to be together. We read "The Night Before Christmas," we played with the kids and their new toys, we all tried out Lauren's new snowboard, we laid on the floor and watched a DVD and we visited relatives.
Do you want a simplier holiday next year? You can get some great suggestions by downloading the PDF here.