Deanna's Holiday Season Deconstructed

The holiday season is crazy. Don't get me wrong-I love it! Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, but chaos and stress do accompany the pretty wrapping paper and merry carols. In order to keep my sanity (and maybe because I'm a Virgo), I have a routine that I like to follow to get it all done with as little stress as possible. Here goes...

Day after Turkey: I refuse to begin anything Christmas before Thanksgiving. One holiday at a time, please. Once I see Santa bring up the rear of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I am able to wrap my brain around Christmas and shopping and everything else seasonal. And speaking of shopping, I also refuse to shop on this day. I don't care what deals you hand me-they are not worth the crowds of rude shoppers and overheated stores. I've always been able to find similar deals online by signing up for store coupons sent to my email address or looking through circulars. Online, I can shop in my pajamas!

First Weekend in December: At some point during that first weekend, I dig out the Christmas Tree and all its fixings. I take out my various holiday music CDs (must haves: The Carpenters, Mahalia Jackson, and Johnny Mathis), and then submerge myself in the tree, decorations, candles, and holiday-themed trinkets. Oh, and I sing at the top of my lungs.

The Shopping: If I can order it online, I will. I hate shopping. I hate malls. I hate retail stores where the heat is a-pumping. I hate pushy customers who forget that Christmas means good cheer and nice manners for all. I used to work in a book store and the Christmas season brought out everyone's dark side. So, if I don't have to set foot in a store, I won't. Unfortunately, it is inevitable; there is always something I need that can't be found online. My approach, therefore, is very organized and efficient, almost like a battle tactic. I organize my gifts into sections. Toys, clothes, other (for those people I don't know too well but am obligated to shop for, like Secret Santas and coworkers). I then take one category a day, two if I have a large amount of time. I try to finish shopping in two to three days, at least three weeks before the holiday.

The Wrapping: Gift wrapping is the event that truly gets me into the Christmas spirit. Similar to my decorating day, I get the music going, spread out the supplies, and churn out gorgeous package after gorgeous package while singing, yet again, as loudly as possible. I then organize my presents into groups: family, friends, and other.

Christmas Eve: Being Italian, Christmas Eve is actually a much more extravagant event than Christmas Day. It is tradition in Italian families to eat seven different types of seafood on Christmas Eve. The tradition is mostly celebrated with Southern Italians and symbolizes a vigil until the birth of Jesus. Usually the meal is followed by Midnight Mass. It is my absolute favorite meal of the year. The best dishes include fried calamari, scungilli (in any form), and this saffron rice with mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari that my mother whipped out one year; it was so good it became a staple.
After the big dinner, we open presents from the relatives we won't be seeing on Christmas Day. Usually my brother and his partner spend Christmas Eve with us and Christmas Day with his partner's family. After the presents, we sit around, bellies full, and watch a Christmas DVD, usually chosen by my eldest niece (probably something Disney).

Christmas Day: My sister usually hosts Christmas Day at her house. She cooks a big spread, usually involving a ham, potatoes, and other veggies. It's a simple meal, more American than our Christmas Eve spread. But before we even eat breakfast, my little nieces are tearing open present after present. Christmas Day is more about them now since we old folks don't really get too many toys anymore. Since the arrival of my nieces, we made an agreement that we'd only shop for the kids now. It's great to see their excitement when they tear open the pretty paper. I remember how exciting it was to still believe in Santa and to get excited over every new thing, even the clothes and socks. After all of the stress and chaos, seeing them, eating the great food, and sharing and making memories make it all worthwhile.