A fresh perspective on the season

Two years ago, I was plotting my escape from the corporate world. I had short timers syndrome and I was eagerly looking forward to a day when I would only have myself to answer to. One year ago, I was completely immersed in all things Christmas. I was baking and decorating, writing Christmas cards, and wrapping presents. Last year, I had it all done by early December and enjoyed the season, rather than rushing through it as I'd done every previous year.

This time of year is stacked full of shopping and decorating. Get togethers and obligations. Travel, logistics, planning, shipping, baking, dinners and planning. As a parent, you want to really make things sparkle, remembering the magic of Christmas as a child. You need to make sure everyone has the best Christmas ever. That's a lot of pressure.

This year, I'm trying to find the happy medium. The balance of being able to really enjoy the season without feeling a slave to it. I want to retain some of that ability I had last year to enjoy it. Since I'm working and don't have the luxury of being at home this year, I've made an agreement with myself.

Self: You will not put unattainable expectations upon yourself. You will do the things that bring you joy and take a pass on the ones that you do because you feel like you have to or someone else needs you to. You know what? You may not be able to get the perfect picture for the holiday card. No one will notice but you. You cannot do it all. Delegate tasks to others so that you don't overly burden yourself with the weight off all things Christmas. Most importantly, you will cherish the moments you have with your family. They are so precious and really, nothing else matters...

On Sunday, we had such fun as a family decorating the tree. Lance is not as "into the holiday spirit" as I am, but I caught him humming along to Jingle Bell Rock. Morgan told me that her favorite thing about this time of year was the smell of the fresh tree in our house (yes, my heart melted to hear such a thing out of the mouth of my babe!). I will forever remember this Christmas as the one where Bennett could really help decorate the tree. Well, specifically, two branches since those are the only ones he felt obligated to decorate. I'm glad I was able to stop, step back and take it all in. That's what it's about. Not some silly fake pet hamster that only the first 100 people in line at Toys R Us can get. :)

I married a grinch

Which, if what they say is true about you marrying someone like your father, is a "duh" statement. Lance does NOT get into the holidays. I've tried year after year after year. I've tried to prove to him the Fun! and Joy! that come at this time of year. Nothing. I've shown him what it's like to have a happy holiday. Nada. He still dismisses the entire month of December as a complete and utter waste of time and money. Sure, he'll suffer through my craziness of decorating anything that's sitting still long enough, and he'll participate if he has to, but he just doesn't feel it. And, before now, it would really put a big damper on the holidays for me. At least the events leading up to Christmas. And this year, with us leaving for Florida so early, he didn't want to even decorate. Not. Even. Decorate. This just didn't even compute. How can we not decorate? I guess it's no big deal when you're not really into Christmas.

But now? Oh my! Now, I have a daughter who's old enough to get it. I have a daughter who's been bitten by the same Christmas Spirit bug that I have and is anxious and overly excited about all things Christmas related. She was beside herself decorating the tree on Sunday. With each ornament we pulled out, we would reminisce together about where we got it or the year that we got it. It was so much fun! She got so excited yesterday that it was December 1st so that she could hang up the first ornament on our advent calendar. And at breakfast and lunch today? She asked, in such a way that it's almost like she believes it's too good to be true, if she could eat off of the Christmas dishes. And this one really melts my heart....she asked today if we had Christmas NAPKINS!!! Oh, a girl after my own heart. Imagine my disappointment when I had to inform her that we do not, in fact, have any Christmas napkins. *sigh*

So now, it doesn't matter that my husband doesn't get into the Christmas Spirit. Because I've got my girl who does. Wow, how cool is that? I am sitting here wondering if my mom felt the same way. I've always been excited to decorate. And I remember my Dad being sort of grinchy at Christmas time. I remember getting SOOOO excited when he'd go the extra effort to put lights up outside. I remember thinking to myself that *that* was what the Christmas Spirit was all about. Doing something extra because others will appreciate it. And that deep down, he must have felt some joy from that. Right?

Morgan asked me yesterday if we were putting lights up. Given the previous discussions on the validity of decorating when we're leaving for Florida, I didn't want to say for sure that we were. I told her we'd have to talk to Daddy. Pretty much as soon as he walked in the door last night, she told him that she put the first advent calendar ornament up and then in the same breath asked him if he was going to put up lights on our house. He told her that he would. There might be joy lurking under that grinchy exterior after all.

Hhmmmppphh....is this thing on??

My friend Melissa keeps asking me when I'm going to blog again. I know it's been over a week and while I'd like to give you all the logical excuses like Morgan was out of school and it was Thanksgiving and we were busy, what it really boils down to is that I didn't feel compelled to write. I mean, why force it? Yeah, sure there were a few funny moments between gym happenings (like this older woman who I used to go to church with before I had Morgan ~6 years ago, asking me if Bennett was the bump that used to be in my belly. Wow. Yes, she just has incredibly stunted growth. Oh, and her gender suddenly changed 19 months ago) and various Morganisms. But, I haven't really had that itching in my fingers to hit the keyboard.

Well, folks, that has changed. Because you'll never believe who made their appearance in our house on Sunday. ELVIS! That's right. And rather than hear it from my biased perspective, you can go straight to the source. Before you go off on some crazy rant about future therapy sessions for my children, I want you to know that Morgan practically BEGGED for the elf to arrive.

Yes, I have gone off the deep end. And you love it.