Reclaiming the Holiday's

With the holidays heard around the corner I'm beginning to get excited. I love the holidays. I usually start decorating for Christmas in the beginning of November. That way I feel that the season lasted long enough. With all the chaos of the holidays they usually feel like I missed something, or like it just wasn't long enough. This year I'm going to enjoy the holidays. I'm not going to strive for perfection, I'm striving for a fine, memorable holiday season.

I'm going to start planning holiday festivities in advance. This way of not running around like a chicken with its head cut off, when I could be enjoying myself. I'm going to have fun at our town's open house. I'm going to enjoy our trips around town listening to holiday music while searching for houses dressed up in their Christmas best. I'm going to make time to sit in front of the warm pellet stove while watching the beautiful Christmas tree. Finally I will not miss this year's airing of Charlie Brown's Christmas special.

I am not under the impression that this will be a totally stress-free holiday season. Some stresses make the holidays of what they are. I love wrapping presents for most of the day and well into the night on Christmas Eve just to keep one kid believing in Santa for another year. I love shopping for the perfect gifts while trying to save money. I love baking half 1 million trades for desserts and snacking that I don't make any other time of the year. Some of the stressful times are what make the holiday season what it is, and not like every other day of the year.

This year I'm going to make a choice to have a great time during the holidays. I won't let certain family members get me down. I will be prepared for them. I'm going to celebrate the way my family wants to Allah and will enjoy. I'm not going to let anybody dictate the things we do or the way we do them. This year it's going to be about my husband and kids, and the things that will make us happy.

I'm not going to worry about the things that may not get done. So I'll send E-cards rather than traditional Christmas cards. I usually get so stressed out that I forget to mail them after spending hours filling them all out. At least this way people actually get some kind of well wishes. If I have to cheat on the sugar cookies or other holiday baking to have a few extra moments to enjoy myself, that's the way will be. I don't think having a few corners to spend a bit more time with the people that make the holiday special is that big of a deal.

I am reclaiming the holidays for myself and the people that mean the most to me. This year will be the best holiday season yet. The best gift I could give myself is watching the way my children enjoyed the special traditions we have created. I'm not going to take that for granted this year.