Simple Holidays

This year I have been trying to simplify my holidays. Which means I've been trying not to try so hard. It is so easy to get swept away in all the chaos and expectation. This is something I've been actively thinking about for at least 3 years, and this year is the first time I've felt the fruits of those labors.  I finally feel like I am making progress and it feels so good. I can tell that I am more relaxed and less stressed out. I am enjoying Christmas again.

• I decorate the day after Thanksgiving with one tub of decorations. They aren't fancy but they do feel festive. The one thing I need to edit from that?  Elf-on-a-Shelf.  I started doing this when I first became a mom and I felt the responsibility of making (forcing?) holiday traditions. I never remember to move it, I hate thinking about it everyday, and life would be just as good without it.  My kids, however, seem to at least appreciate Elfie's presence so perhaps we will keep him around for another year or two. His days are numbered, mwahahaha!

• Despite not sending out legit Christmas cards for almost 3 years, it somehow always ends up on my to-do list.  With social media making picture sharing easy, I don't think there is as deep of a need for photo updates each year. Not to mention photo paper isn't recyclable and color printing on cardstock is expensive. I need to let holiday cards go. If I send them (esp to people who don't have computers like my mom-in-law) then great, but they shouldn't be something I obsess over come Nov/Dec.

• Gifts is an issue that might never get resolved for me. My family absolutely won't participate in a "draw a name" exchange so that pretty much leaves me doing things the old fashioned way unless I want to take a stand against what should be an accepted norm (wouldn't be the first time, but I don't want to always be the squeaky wheel). Besides, I like sending gifts. I like knowing that they can physically hold something and open it and know that we were thinking of them and miss them. So I'm a bit torn about the whole thing. The good news is that our inner-family gift giving strategy has been so successful, I credit that change with single handedly turning around the holiday stress.

I've been captivated by The Center for a New American Dream and their Simply the Holidays series.  Everyday on Facebook there is some new and inspiring pearl of wisdom. Not only does this facilitate new ideas for how to relax and enjoy my friends and family, it also gives the encouragement and validation I need to forge ahead against the grain.