For the past week my twins have been sick. One even wound up in the hospital due to dehydration and digestive complications. He is fine now, but we had a scary and tiring week.
Until the illness and hospitalization hit us, I was feeling very organized about Christmas. I’d cleared my calendar to have four days alone in the house for house cleaning, finishing up the shopping, getting some meals made ahead, and mailing presents. We did manage to get the presents sent before the hospitalization, and I don’t have too much more shopping, but oh the house. We have a tree up, but the Thanksgiving decorations are still out, and the dog thinks the pile in front of the washer is her fun new bed.
Every year I get to the point of trading in the idea of the perfect organized Christmas for reality. I have to evaluate what is really important to us and forget the rest. This year it’s going to be hard to even keep all the important things. The kids are in school until the 21st. Between losing last week due to illness and our crazy schedules this week, I don’t know when we are going to make sugar cookies, or read Christmas stories, or watch our collection of Christmas movies. I don’t know that we can pull off getting the house decorated, have fondue, see Santa, go to the light display at the zoo, have a big dinner, or make cookies for the neighbors.
In the old days people celebrated Christmas for twelve days. They partied from Christmas until Twelfth Night, also known as the Epiphany.
So I’ve made the decision that we can celebrate for days after Christmas, too. If we don’t get around to watching The Grinch, or making sugar cookies, or sending off our cards until after Christmas, that’s okay. We are all off from school and work until the 6th anyway. Instead of our normal fun buildup to Christmas, we’ll celebrate the twelve days of Christmas instead! I feel less stressed already.
Also See:
Stay Connected Through the Holidays
Federico and the Magi’s Gift – Beatriz Vidal
Six Ways to Beat Holiday Stress