I'm going to pat myself on the back for this one! I actually am cutting myself some slack this season.
When my three sons were small, I used to make most of our Christmas gifts, do a ton of holiday baking, hand address all our Christmas cards with personal notes in each, play organ and direct the church choir (with all the music prep for multiple services that implies), and also host a few parties and open houses. After Christmas I was ready to fall apart. Whew!
This year I made a fairly belated decision to create some special photo and text memory book gifts for seven of my nine grandchildren (two are still young enough that theirs will get done when they're older). Each book takes a long time, and I know there's no way I will finish them all before Christmas. At first I pushed myself hard in an attempt to get them done in time. Then one day I realized that my grandchildren are old enough to understand the concept of a deferred gift! They will enjoy these special books just as much in early January as they would during their busy Christmas season. And I'll have more fun creating each one if I don't have to rush through it. They'll find something wrapped under the tree that announces the gift to come!
What a relief! This is a change for me, and I'm celebrating it. In what ways are you giving yourself a break during this busy holiday time? What changes have you made through the years so you can enjoy the days rather than racing through them with no joy or pleasure at all?
If you haven't given yourself some breaks or cut yourself some slack, it's still not too late. What can you do today? I invite you to choose even one or two things that can lighten your load and enhance your holiday experience.
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