bah humbug

I've been struggling with the "so much to do, so little time" feeling I usually get this time of year. It adds to the hustle and bustle, the stress of not having everything just so, and the desire to BUY MORE! that I feel has taken over so much of the Christmas spirit. I noticed this year that there was Christmas decor out at many department stores before Halloween was over. What's the rush? Don't people understand the sooner Christmas comes, the sooner it's over? How can you savor the present moment, when all you ever do is plan for what's next? There have been so many years that by the time Christmas is over, I wonder where the enjoyment even was. I was so busy doing or making or buying or stressing that I didn't even enjoy it. So this year, I've decided to stop.  Stop and enjoy the "right now". Stop worrying about giving the kids the "perfect" Christmas with lots of presents. At the ages they are at now, I do not want them to get the impression that Christmas is all about toys. I want them to experience the comfort of tradition, the warmth of being together, and the love of friends and family more than anything else. Because of this we have decided to bring Christmas into our home slowly this year, adding something small whenever we feel like it. Last week we cut out and hung "tie-dyed" paper snowflakes and hung a paper-bag chain decoration. This week, the kids each were allowed to bring a tiny seedling into their room and decorate their own Christmas tree. And we'll eventually hang stockings and get our family tree sometime before Christmas, when the time feels right for us. Each time I feel the "oh no, Christmas won't be perfect!" feeling start to creep in, I'll take a deep breath and remind myself to just enjoy the present moment. I also plan to stay away from all department stores from now on. ;)