Coping With Christmas Craziness
What do you mean, you don’t have any left in stock?!
So, we’re once again neck deep in the holiday season. I always feel like days this time of year come at me in a rush. In the space of just a few weeks, I have:
My sons coming home for Thanksgiving
Gathering with my family on Thanksgiving
Cutting down and setting up a Christmas tree
Saying goodbye to my boys again as they head back to college/law school
My brother’s birthday (he lives hours away from me, but it’s still something I mark every December)
My oldest son’s birthday
The monthly library board meetings
Annual events, such as parties, concerts, work events that always happen in December
Scrambling to come up with halfway decent gift ideas for the members of my family
Buying (or attempting to buy) said gifts
My sons come home again
Christmas Eve
Christmas
Saying goodbyes again
New Year’s
I’ve probably forgotten a few things, too. Outside of that, I owe a freelance article to a newsletter, and I’m trying to get on track with my current novel. I also have to keep marketing the ghost hunter novel and start brainstorming about the eventual print/ebook publication of ACTS OF DESPERATION. Other than that, I’m bored.
December is both the most wonderful and the most stressful time of the year. I have to force myself to step back and remember that these are good things, no matter how tiring and stressful they can be. I probably put too much pressure on myself to get people just the right gift (unique, but not too unique; something they like, but not something they expect; something useful but not boring, etc., etc.) I can and have driven myself nuts during the holiday season.
So, this year:
I’m playing Christmas CD’s in my office every day at work
I’m endeavoring to read Bible passages during each day of Advent (“endeavoring,” I said)
I’m watching TV Christmas specials that I really like and disregarding the rest (I never miss A Charlie Brown Christmas if I can help it)
I’m taking time to enjoy the holiday light displays
I’m loving watching my 11 month-old puppy discover snow. He had the best time of his life during the Great Christmas Tree Hunt last week
I’m hardly alone in having a very busy month. What do you have going on? How do you make time to relax and enjoy it? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
