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Do you plan your holidays? or do they just “happen”? Each year I sit down at dinner and talk with my family to plan our holidays.
Last night was one of the funnest nights of the year for me.
Every year about this time, I sit down at dinner with a notepad and we plan the holidays.
Honestly, I am SO glad I did. You see, I started this series as a worn out mama growing a business, keeping the kiddos alive, and working hard to keep my marriage a priority in this ADHD social media crazed world.
I figured that if I simplified Christmas EVEN more this year, I would have less to do and be less stressed. However, what I am realizing is… I already simplified Christmas years ago. These weekly posts are evidence of that. It’s actually time for me to invest MORE time in my holidays… in a purposeful way.
SO back to dinner…
I asked my usual questions starting with… what do you want to eat?
TURKEY!
Pecan pie
Spice Cake
Sugar Cookies with icing
Peppermint Ice cream
Huh. Not exactly what I thought, but ok.
What do you want to do?
Look at Christmas lights in the car, but not the drive through the show we usually go to– just around.
Go out to eat at TGI Friday’s as a family.
Go see a movie or two as a family.
Watch older Christmas movies at home {Charlie Brown, The Grinch}.
Make reindeer food.
Go to a new church event at Crossroads.
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Here’s where I stopped being “mom in list mode” and looked up. Joey wasn’t at dinner. He was off playing video games. Abby was inserting her many requests for new gifts. You know who was most excited about the list? Greg. He was IN all the way. His eyes were twinkling and his mind was dreaming of fun holiday memories with the kids and new ones to come.
This is so much more than a check list. It is the window into my husband’s heart of what he wants for the holidays. Our lives are stressful, overfilled and real. I bet yours are, too.
So I took a deep breath and asked what about the decorations?
I now know full well whatever is wanted will be done by me. I have to do it, or not do it.
I wish I could have recorded Greg’s face. “All of it,” he said. “The tree, the train, candles burning…”
I asked if he wanted a tree in the family room in addition to the one in the living room. YES! He wanted trees in every room.
His excitement was contagious and here I am dreaming of decorating already.
I have been blessing a friend by helping her downsize and prepare for a move. And she is blessing me right back with LOTS of new holiday decorations. I am SO excited to surprise Greg with a winter wonderland this year.
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So how is this simple? It’s not.
BUT I have already made the tradeoff. Most of you readers did not read my blog last year and I need to freshen up some older posts anyway. So instead of NEW posts in December I am working on republishing and adding to previously published posts that need some love.
I am constantly striving for the most efficient and best way to do things. In this case I can skip making a gingerbread house, throwing a holiday party and wrapping presents at the mall. These past activities were not on my family’s list at all. My questions led me right into what speaks to my family members’ hearts.
I can make time for a turkey dinner, an afternoon of icing sugar cookies and going out to dinner and movies. But if I don’t ask, I don’t know. And once I know, if I don’t schedule it, it won’t happen.
So how about you? Are you into Holiday Planning? Have you thought about what you will eat, where you will go and how you will decorate? Share with me in the comments below.
See the rest of the 10 Weeks to Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations:
10 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations
9 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Make A Plan
8 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Will You Send Cards?
7 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: What Do You Want To Do? {You’re here!}
6 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: What Will You Eat?
5 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Gift Wrap Organization
4 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Decorating The House
3 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Stock Up On Basics
2 Weeks To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: Create Bags For Each Event
1 Week To Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations: De-Clutter and Donate Old Toys
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