Deck the Halls...

With lots of laundry...

OK, so this isn't how the song goes, or even remotely how I thought I'd be feeling in this, the 2nd week of December, with only a short 2 weeks left to go...UGH


I awoke this morning, knowing that I hadn't finished all that I hoped to yesterday, and would therefore have to put off dragging out the decorations for one more day...well, 2 actually.

Because I spent so many hours with my family on Sunday, I came into the week "behind" on my chore list. At least, to me, I was behind.

Did I really have to do all the laundry that had been sitting for 2 weeks before I could make cookies and decorate my house? Did I really have to vacuum 2 weeks worth of cat hair and dog hair and crumbs? Did I really have to make a meatloaf and mashed potatoes?

The answer is a resounding "NO!" I didn't have to do any of those things. We have enough clean clothes, and the hampers weren't spilling on the floor...the hair had been there for 2 weeks, what harm would one more day have been? And we could have had something casserole-y for dinner...

HOWEVER...I absolutely refuse to become one of those people who runs around from the week before Thanksgiving until January 2nd attending holiday events, going to concerts and shows and parties, and cookie exchanges, and, and, and...

I will say this: Yes, I believe that Christmas is a magical time of year and should be special I love holiday decorations, the lights on the houses, and the trees shining through windows. The smell of cider, and cookies, and fresh greenery that wafts through the air wherever you go. I could listen to Christmas songs 365 days a year.

I will also say this: While I will put up my tree and lights and make cookies to share, I will NOT end up ragged, exhausted, snappy, waspy, and flat out mean, simply because I feel that we have to partake in all that is offered in our neck of the woods this time of year.

Christmas is one day of the year. I believe that we are celebrating the birth of Christ, regardless of whether He was actually born in December or not. We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, God Incarnate, come to earth as a man, to live among us and ultimately die for our sins. That is a major part of my belief structure. I also believe that while we are called to celebrate his birth, we should live His love every day. And we should not be compelled, whether by guilt or otherwise, to make a Broadway-sized production out of the season.

That being said, I am now going to make my list of cookies and goodies to bake, and finish our Christmas cards. Tomorrow, after my Moms' Group, I will begin bringing out inside decorations.

BB can use the lights I've untangled and tested on the outside, and come hell or high water, they're going up this weekend. Unless, of course, there is a massive snow storm...



PS - For those of you who wonder what the heck just happened...I'm sorry...I needed to vent about a friend of mine that has had her Christmas shopping done since November 1. She also has a schedule for the holiday season of when things happen, why they happen, who is in charge, what decoration goes up when and in what order, and ended up in the hospital with an anxiety attack because her husband was out of town for 3 weeks, and she had to do it all herself.

The sad thing is that after she was released, she jumped right back in, and was worrying about what she could double up with, to not fall further behind...