The holidays are a wonderful time. They can also make me very anxious. I did very well this holiday season with not overwhelming myself or stretching myself too thin. I made some conscious decisions to NOT do some things this year to keep myself balanced.
Christmas Cards.
By the time I thought about needing to get my Christmas cards out it was crunch time and I was already trying to finish up a lot of things for work so I could enjoy my winter vacation. So I decided to not worry about getting cards printed, addressed, and sent out. I did make a digital card that I thought was cute.
Making my family come to my office holiday party.
I LOVE showing my family off. But the logistics of getting them to my office party are kind of tricky. My husband and my daughter have to come from the suburbs and by the time they get there it's pretty much BabyCakes' bedtime so they are turning right back around to head home shortly after. When they are there I also have to make sure they are having a good time and can't fully enjoy myself. This year I told my husband they could stay home, and I got to enjoy the party - eating, drinking, and being merry!
Elf on a Shelf.
Some of you parents are KILLING it with Elf on a Shelf. Your ideas every day are so unique and creative. I felt myself getting anxious thinking about purchasing the Elf on a Shelf and I knew I would be putting a lot of pressure on myself to produce some dynamic elf scene every day during a month that was already really busy. I decided I'll wait until next year to introduce Elf.
Going to see Santa.
I think I have a pretty good understanding of my daughter and how she'll react in certain situations. I couldn't see anything good coming from trying to force her to sit on a stranger's lap and get a pretty picture. We might give it a try next year, and she'll likely have more of an idea of who Santa is then. This year she started to notice who he was around the week of Christmas.
Vlogmas.
I definitely want to do Vlogmas next year, but this year it just wasn't in the cards. Next year I will PLAN what video content I want to produce so that it can be easier to make happen.
What decisions did you make this holiday season to make things easier for yourself?
I didn't do cards this season, either - or at least not as many as I usually do. I JUST sent them to family this year, & to four friends from home who I rarely see but wanted to send a little love to. I'd just recently sent Rosh HaShanah cards to much of my family & friends for the Jewish new year, so why do another round for the secular new year?! Only my non-Jewish friends & fam got cards this season, & even then, it was just a few of them. So much less pressure!
ReplyDeleteThis has to be the year of less self-imposed pressure!
DeleteI scrapped cards this year also! I have told my fiance a hundred times no elf on the shelf in our future lives. Other parents kill it but I just can't imagine adding that much extra stress to my holiday season.
ReplyDeleteYea, there is already so much to do during the season.
DeleteYou are a wise woman! I didn't do Christmas cards either (few people do these days) and it was such a load off my plate! I also didn't do the baking for 20 neighbors thing either. Luckily no one else did either so I don't feel bad!
ReplyDeleteBaking for TWENTY neighbors?! OMG, I don't think I can ever reach that level lol
DeleteI haven't done holiday cards in a couple of years. Every year I say "next year", and that never happens. But I love the digital card idea. Maybe I'll try that next year :)
ReplyDeleteYea, isn't everything moving to digital? lol
DeleteWow I love this! It is so much more important to be present with your loved ones than trying to spread yourself too thin
ReplyDeleteI hear ya with Elf on the Shelf! My son is four and we have never done the Elf - but this year we did a Shepherd on the Search for Jesus. It was a lot less work (like your child can touch the Shepherd and it's no big deal). I hope you have a wonderful New Year!!
ReplyDeleteI saw your Shepherd on the Search posts, that may be an option for next year.
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