And So It Begins

I knew it was only a matter of time before some local radio station would start playing the Christmas tunes 24/7. Here in upstate NY one of my favorite local stations started their regular rotation of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" on Saturday.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving.

Call me Scrooge, but I have this thing about getting through one holiday before I start thinking about the next. Last night, my mother-in-law hosted us for Sunday dinner so we could draw names for Christmas gifts for the adults. My husband comes from a small family. He has one sibling. His mother was an only child and so there's one first cousin from his father's side. Contrast this with my family—where I have some 44 cousins on my father's side alone—and you can quickly see why family traditions around the holidays can be tricky territory.

There are those who live for the holidays and go over the top every year with handmade cards, decorations to die for and thoughtful personal gifts. There are those who wish they could hibernate after dinner on Thanksgiving and not wake up again until January 1. Then there's me. I'd describe myself as someone who sincerely enjoys the holidays and who revels in certain traditions. But each year I try to figure out what should stay and what could go.

Some family obligations are just that. Obligations. Will your mother-in-law be crushed if you skip her Christmas Eve party? Absolutely. So look to the things that you can control or change that don't require buy-in from other adults or family members. The one thing you secretly despise may be the one thing your sister absolutely loves. Think about what brings you joy and how you can get more of that into your holidays.

A few years ago I decided to make a conscious effort to avoid big box stores and the mall altogether during the holidays. I shop almost exclusively online, at local craft fairs, buy books through my boys' school and get the nieces and nephews their gift cards at the grocery store. This freed up so much time! I didn't miss seeing the stores decorated and my kids never wanted to sit on Santa's lap anyway.

Staying out of the stores means more time at home to do the things I truly love around the holidays: baking and decorating. It also means more money in my wallet. Impulse buys add up. How many times have you walked into a store, tried out the gingerbread scented hand cream and bought some to give to...Who?...Maybe your friend at the office? The babysitter?

Another thing I refuse to do is listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving.

So is there something on your holiday to-do list that you could do without this year? What traditions or obligations would you happily pass up if given the chance?