We are back from Washington, DC and a whirlwind of pre-Christmas fun. We are mere days from the Big Day, and I need to focus on some unpacking and laundry, not to mention a few more Christmas "to-do" list items. Things are very busy here in the Sweet Pea home...busy, but happy.
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly November and December pass each year. It seems like just yesterday I introduced the idea of having a countdown of 8 weeks of holiday preparation tips to help keep your holidays a little less stressful. And yet, here it is, in a blink of an eye, 8 weeks later.
Are you like me? Do you have an idea of what you would like to do get done each holiday season, and then realize that in order to keep your holidays peaceful, you need to reduce a few things off your list? This year there is one complicated cookie that won't get baked, a few decorations that won't go up and we won't be going to see our local zoo's holiday light display (why freeze our hineys off in the ridiculously cold weather, when, serendipitously we were able to see the dress rehearsal of the lights on a November visit when it was in the high 60s?). Christmas will still be wonderful, and I strongly feel that the boys will appreciate a peaceful, happy mom more than a cold trip to the zoo, a few extra garland and one extra cookie recipe with a stressed-out mother.
I didn't always have this perspective, so I share it to encourage you.
Here's my final Easy Peasy Holiday Kitchen Preparation Tip: Keep it Simple.
If you find yourself today, with a need to make cookies and you haven't had time to prepare, buy pre-made dough.
If you find yourself today wondering how you are going find the time to prepare all the food to feed Uncle Miles, Aunt Sally, Grandma and Grandpa and all the relatives Christmas Dinner, declare dinner to be a potluck.
If you find yourself today hoping a Christmas Elf will come to help you with the laundry, just wash the bare essentials and let the rest go (this is a recommendation to myself) until after Christmas.
My hope for you this holiday season is to enjoy the peace and joy so often ellusive during the holidays.
Happy Holidays!
SPC