By which I mean a fun, light, meaningful, colourful, memorable Christmas for all of us. Jono's first Christmas. A new stocking to hang...But I've been doing it again - over-extending myself. I get growled at by my husband when he sees me starting to show signs of stress. "This is how you burnt out before," he warns me. He threatens to cancel all my plans for the good of my (mental) health... which I then vehemently object to, so I have to agree to take it a bit easier.
It's that old habit of doing "just one more... OK?" But all the stuff on my plate soon adds up.
I have sat down and made lists, recently, of all the things I have to get done. There's Dash's 6th birthday party, the Christmas Project and Party, doing stuff for Mr G's end of year mailout to clients, doing some Christmas stuff at Princess's kindy, planning my mum and dad's 40th anniversary party on the 3rd of January(!), and then not to mention Christmas itself, with all the decorating, gift buying, extra cleaning, gardening, and cooking.Hmmm, that sounds like an awful lot. No wonder I am experiencing heart palpitations and racing thoughts again...! Oops. Mr G may be right.
I am going to have to do this a bit smarter. Simpler. I am going to have to make a plan and stick to it, communicate properly with my husband, ask for help, write things down.
What we both really want to focus on this year is enjoying the build-up to Christmas by doing Christmassy stuff with the kids, together as a family.
You know: baking Christmas cookies and decorating them, making presents and Christmas cards for people (grandparents, teachers, neighbours)...
Watching our favourite Christmas movies together (Polar Express, The Snowman, Nativity 
Story), reading our favourite Christmas stories...Visiting the lights on Franklin Road and taking time to walk up and down together, savouring the festive atmosphere.
Putting up the tree, stringing the lights, wrapping all the presents before Christmas Eve so we can just sit and enjoy the moment, have a glass of wine, chill.
That has to be the priority. Everything else is going to have to come secondary to that. We want this year to be full of meaning and fun and magic moments. Last year was just too rushed. The magic of Christmas is all the special moments that lead up to it - not just the day itself.
So that's my plan, take a big breath, re-order my priorities and enjoy the moment.
2 comments:
Wow Simoney! Like the new plan, sounds relaxing!!
I too can't wait for Christmas!! Awesome blog Simone - would love you to check out mine! Ange
http://homegrownnz.blogspot.com
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