Despite my grousing and general grinchiness sometimes, I really do love the holiday season. I love both the actual holidays and the build up to to them.
But some years I love the build up less than other years. Sometimes I have it all organized and some years, well, I'm just limping through.
I have never matched the holiday organization I had the year my December baby was born. And I have never enjoyed a Christmas more. (Of course, a brand new baby boy is about the best Christmas gift ever.) That year I was motivated to have everything accomplished before the baby came. And so when he was born on December 11, all that was left to do until Christmas was enjoy our new son and our 2-year-old daughter.
But why are some years (when no one is being born) more organized than others? And how to do I make the crazy years less crazy? These are questions I've ask myself lately. And I think it comes down to motivation, the age of the children, and workload.
When the kids were young and needed a lot of hands-on care, accomplishing holiday tasks was difficult. And being self-employed means my workload can vary. So if my workload was heavy, it was tough. The only thing that could really help surmount it was the extreme motivation I felt to make it a great holiday. But in other years when things should have been easier, I gave in to procrastination, simply because I could. But then I found myself in stores on December 24 when I wanted to be home enjoying the holiday.
This year, my oldest entered high school, and lately she is prone to saying things like "No need to paint my room, Mom, because in four years I'll be gone."
Aaaah! Now, that motivates me. Of course, even after she goes to college, she'll come home for holidays, but I can see a huge change on the horizon. And so I feel motivated to enjoy the here and now.
- Organized for Holidays
- Making the Most of the Holiday Season
- Holiday Survival Guide
- Holiday Decorating With Kids
- New Year's Resolutions for the Whole Family
- Christmas Decorating Ideas for Kids
- 21 Things to Do During Christmas Break
- Reduce Holiday Stress
- Simplify Holiday Shopping
SXC