December, december, december. I love it. I hate it.
Is there a busier month? There just do not seem to be enough days, hours, minutes.
I really do love Christmas and all the festive hoopla that it brings, but I have to confess that it all gets to be just a wee bit overwhelming at some points.
And this, in combination with the fact that we now have a December birthday in the family, is really testing my limits.
Because, let’s face it, we want to experience and have our children experience “the magic of the season,” but where is the line between creating meaningful memories and overload?? Is it the 11th mini candy cane that your child consumes at the not-to-be-missed Ocean Beach Holiday Parade, or the 9th holiday dance performance that your kids’ dance studio throws onto the December schedule, or the school holiday program and party following that offers cookies, candy, and nothing else?
I want to take my girls to see a professional company perform The Nutcracker, and I want them to attend the annual and always fun gingerbread decorating party. I also want them to help decorate the tree, open the Advent calendar each night, and see a Christmas special or three.
(But you have to wonder when ABC is offering “25 Days of Christmas,” how special can these specials be?)
We’re reading “Little House on Plum Creek” right now, and believe me, I do NOT long to return to the time when pa can’t even afford to get new work boots for Christmas because the grasshoppers ruined the wheat crop.
I don’t even long to return to my own childhood when we gathered at the post office and went caroling around the village (okay, I do miss this); truthfully I just long for more time to get it all done.
Well that, and for my girls to be with me fulltime.
Sigh.
Ahh..doesn't it put a lot in perspective when you read the Little House books?! I just COULD NOT be a mother in Laura's era. (my favorite was when I read them w/Calvin and he said, "Who is that mean 'white man'?" when they were taking away he Indian's land.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad that we play "catch-up" on the Advent calender every couple of days, and yet the kids don't seem to mind.
What needs to get done will get done (you've already sent your cards with proper stamps) and what memories that get made might not even be what you expect :)
I have no uplifting words about the time apart, except that I'd like a fews days apart from my unappreciative, sweet teens about now...and they're here full-time!
Just focus on my birthday and soon it will be January :)
Hey, you reminded me - I saw your girls with their dad at the OB parade! They looked very merry.
ReplyDeleteAnd my girl and I suffered through the Nutcracker last night. It's really boring.
I am very low stress this year, I've given up a lot of the angst I tend to build up around things like getting the right kind of tree, the perfect photo for cards, the gifts that will make everyone happy, etc. I realized that I'm the only one obsessing about these things and they're just not that important.
Our kids will be happy with whatever is inside of the wrapped gifts beneath the tree, even if it wasn't on their loony-tunes wish list. We are forever forgetting teh advent calendar, but like PA said, that just allows for more candy when we get aroudn to it. This is actually the first year in their lives - literally - that we started it on time.
I say just throw your expectations to the wind and go with the flow. If you accomplish 75% of what you plan, you should consider December an overwhelming success.
Ho, Ho, HO!
Jacquie
Way to pump me up for Sunday's performance! lol.
ReplyDeleteAnd belive me, there will be no Nintendo DS's under our tree. Too bad, kiddos.
What is Sunday?
ReplyDeleteThe boring Nutcracker.
ReplyDeletelol! when you say "professional", do you mean grown ups? Because ours was a youth ballet with 80 billion girl scouts... I'm sure yours will be dramatic and inspiring. Bring some of those leftover candy canes, they came in handy halfway through the second act when everyone seemed to hit the wall :)
ReplyDeletej
Dramatic and inspring, we can only hope; but I'll bring the candy canes just in case:-)
ReplyDeleteAnd it's all your fault, Jacquie, turning my on to Goldstar...I just could not pass up the center orchestra cheap seats!
Oh you two are so awesome. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI simply cannot imagine how it must be with kids and jobs, and that whole Christmas thing looming out there. I do not stress out about Christmas; I have no reason to. But neither do I have much to do.
You guys? Well, you rock. In a very incredible and awesome way.
Me? I had my mom and dad here tonight, and we put our tree into our stand. THAT's gettin' 'er done.
Love you kids.
xxx
Ellie
I kid you not, it was dramatic and inspiring!
ReplyDeleteb