HOW TO: enjoy the holidays
by Christy Petterson
Some years I have been so busy that the holiday season has blown by and sometime in January I realize I never even had a cup of hot cocoa or decorated my apartment. I hated my schedule in college because sometimes I wouldn�t finish exams until December 23rd, but I can�t say I have really allowed myself to fully enjoy the holiday season in the six Decembers since then. So now for December #7 I�ve decided to take it a little slower. I haven�t halted everything because this is, of course, the best time of year to sell crafts, but for this year I have slimmed down my obligations, and I�m making more time for myself, friends and family.
Here are a couple of ideas I�m using to keep things simple this year:
Get Organized... A lot of the hustle, bustle and stress of December is trying to get it all done in time. Working, crafting, selling, buying gifts. Taking a moment now at the beginning of December to get organized could go a long way. Make lists, get started now instead of the 20th and start cranking out some holiday spirit!
Think Bulk and Assembly Line... See a good deal on something? Your aunt in Chicago and your best friend in San Diego will never know if you give them the same gift. Whether you�re making gifts or buying them, if something works�do it in �bulk�. If you want to make cookies for ten different people don�t bake cookies ten different times. Do them all at once and that way you won�t have to pull out all the ingredients and wash the dishes ten times. Assembly line is the way to go!
Learn To Say No... You don�t have to go to every party and you don�t have to participate in every show. Just do what feels good and when you start to feel a little overwhelmed then you know you need to pull back. Biting off more than you can chew is never a good idea�unless it involves homemade cookies!
Prioritize... Figure out what�s most important to you and make sure you get to do it. If the neighborhood annual progressive dinner is one of your favorite activities make sure you mark it on the calendar early. But if caroling with your book club in below freezing temperatures just sounds like a good way to catch a cold, don�t feel obligated. There just isn�t enough time to do everything!
Make Time For Something Extra Special... There are a handful of friends who live in other states that I miss a lot so I�m going to take the time to make them a card. I also want to go ice skating and plan a really nice menu for Christmas day when my family comes over. Keeping up with old friends and planning yummy meals for my family are activities that I don�t ever have as much time for as I�d like, and ice skating is only available this time of year�so now�s the time!
In keeping with the theme of this column, I�ve decided to keep this short. I have some Christmas decorations to make for a sale I�m doing tomorrow night and some hot cocoa to drink. I�d love to hear what you�re doing to keep December sane as well as anything extra special you�re making time for! Happy Holidays!!!!!
