I’ve never been someone who goes overboard during the holidays, but this year I’m definitely feeling a sense of pressure. It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through December already, and I have this very un-festive desire to barrel straight through to January—despite the fact that January marks the only-one-month-to-go mark with my pregnancy and holy crap, I haven’t done one single thing to prepare for this baby.
Between fighting off a cold determined to suck all the joy from my life over the last few weeks, dealing with my office moving across town and thus complicating my commute all to heck, and juggling a monster freelance project to which I totally overcommitted myself, I just haven’t felt the holiday spirit this year yet. We got our tree up and I put out a few decorations, but man, I haven’t followed through on any of my ambitious November plans (homemade wreath for the front door! Lights for the house! Gingerbread cookies for Riley! Hand-crafted holiday cards! Advent calendar craft project! FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL).
I’m trying to resuscitate my dwindling jolliness and squelch my inner Grinch, and I’m hoping you guys have some ideas for making the most out of the holidays—in a low-pressure kind of way. You know what I mean? I want happy holiday traditions and memories for my family, but in reality I work more than one job, I have a 2-year-old, I’m five thousand months pregnant (well, give or take), and I seem to be missing some critical Martha-esque gene required for effortless crafty projects.
My own suggestions: this year I used tinyprints for our holiday cards instead of making my own the way I usually do (they turned out great!), and I’ve shopped online for literally every single holiday gift on my list (making good use of Amazon’s Prime program). I also gave up on the homemade advent calendar idea and found a really cute wooden box version at Goodwill, and every day Riley opens a new door to reveal . . . you are going to think I am SO LAME, here . . . half a Flinstone’s vitamin (Riley: “A BITAMIN! YAYY!”). What can I say, he loves those things. Sometimes we shake things up with a sticker or a tiny piece of chocolate, but I’m telling you, the vitamins are the biggest hits.
Okay, this is totally one of those posts where I’m hoping the helpful comments make up for the lack of useful blog content. Please share your holiday traditions, ideas, tips, and anything else that might help the overloaded, overscheduled, and overburdened with mucus.
Holiday tip: Go to a bakery and buy plain cut -out cookies. (I buy both sugar and gingerbread) and then you and Riley can decorate them. That is the fun part anyway! Saves time and it isn’t any more expensive than buying all of the ingredients to make homemade cookies.
Vitamin tip: Did you know they make Flinstone Jr. vitamins for 2 and 3 year olds? They are smaller, so you wouldn’t have to break them in half.
JMH | December 14th, 2007 at 10:39 am
even though you already ordered your cards, for those that havent you can go to http://www.hallmark.com and pick a card, sign it, enter in addresses, and they will do it ALL including stamp and send!!! it’s the ultimate in online lazy. i think for extra you can even pay someone to ‘hand write’ on it for you!
other than that, i like the idea of bringing a bottle of wine as a gift and then offering to open it up and pour
Kate | December 14th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
We always did this in my family when I was a youngster and now my husband and I do it: the Christmas lights ride. It never fails to put me in the spirit. I particularly like the neighborhoods where you know they’re trying to outdo each other! Christmas mix cd is optional, but can enhance the experience if you’re not already burned out from hearing all the songs starting the day after Halloween.
Kim | December 14th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
I tell everyone to just forget about Christmas and focus on my birthday (which falls on January 3). It’s not often a successful plan, but it makes me feel better about pushing on to January, disregarding the holiday season altogether.
I think we resist the urge to jump on the holiday bandwagon before December because it’s not even Thanksgiving! It’s barely November! And then December arrives and we all end up scrambling to make the best and enjoy every ounce of Christmas because how is it already December? And we just end up feeling like we weren’t productive or efficient enough and the holidays passed by without really enjoying them.
And although I don’t have much to contribute in the way of changing all that, at least know you’re not alone. And I’m not pregnant. And I don’t have a two year old. And I only have one job. So, you’re doing pretty good in my book.
She Likes Purple | December 14th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
This is probably not much help since Riley is still so young, but it might be fun in a couple of years.
We work from home and this is our busiest season. We started this tradition in 2002 because I felt so bad that I was down in the workshop (making candles) and hardly got a chance to see my kids until we closed down the site for the season. What we do now is have a “Company Christmas Party”. Usually we have it the Saturday after we officially close for the holidays.
On this day we have a fancy meal (we order from Outback Steakhouse, which is fancy for us!), we buy fancy desserts and appetizers (from Costco, LOL) and then we spend the whole evening playing games, talking and reconnecting as a family. We usually play Sequence, Phase 10, Cranium…and this year we bought Apples to Apples to surprise the kids with.
It is SO relaxing and just lets us shake off all that holiday-related stress. The kids totally love this and look forward to it all month. Now they are 13 and 17, and this will be my oldest’s last Company Christmas Party since he’ll be in college next year at this time. (sigh)
It is one of the best things we do our family at this super-busy time of year!
~ Wendi
Wendi | December 14th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
I’ve tried to respond to this 3 times but I am realizing I won’t have any tips because I, too, feel the pregnancy + toddler + more than 1 job + holiday stress this year! It’s been really bad.
Today I zoned out in my car — no music, no news, just quiet, and it was nice to relax and let my mind wander. Except it kept wandering into list-making territory and I wanted to get out my pen and paper again.
*whimper*
Lee | December 14th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
First, the vitamin thing is so darn cute I can hardly stand it.
I don’t know if I have any tips. I keep thinking of semi-crafty homemade things to give out. And while that is festive and nice, it also kind of stresses me out. I wish there was a way for us to do it all and not be stressed.
Paige | December 14th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I second the Christmas light drive. We started it the very first Christmas of our first child, and we’ve done it ever since, and it’s one of my most favorite parts now. We just cruise around listening to Christmas music and saying, “Ooooo, those are pretty!” or “Yick, I hate that kind!” It’s the spirit of criticism!
I love love love your vitamin calendar idea.
Prime is definitely perfect for the holidays. I’ve been shipping things left and right: click and gift wrap and ship and DONE.
Swistle | December 15th, 2007 at 2:08 am
I have been using this advent calendar online with my boys. It’s got tones of stuff: http://www.teachingmom.com/features/advent.html. ALso, my mom told me about this website, which seems pretty fun too http://www.nordasanta.org/en/home.html. There is a book that Chris at notesfromthetrenches wrote about last year that I found on Amazon, called The Advent Book, by Jack and Kathy Stockman; super easy and my almost 3 year old loves it.
Hanna | December 15th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
The advent calendar from goodwill, and the vitamins inside — priceless. Really. do what works, and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for it. That’s my best advice!
Daisy | December 15th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
In the evening, after you put Riley to bed, turn off all the lights in your house except the Christmas tree and other lighted decorations and just sit for a few minutes and look at the tree. It is a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit and give yourself a few minutes of down time. You could also do it with Riley before you put him to bed. I’m telling you, it is a very small thing but does a lot for your spirit!!!
aimee | December 17th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Eric has one of those advent calendars too. He wouldn’t be happy with half a Flinstone’s vitamin though
The last thing he got out of the calendar, he told us it was a rip off!
Eric's Mommy | December 17th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Sitting in front of the Christmas tree in the dark after the kids are in bed- usually just for a couple of minutes- helps me refind the spirit at the end of the day. Lit trees are so pretty!
Getting the daily cards in the mail = cheerful! It’s the only time of year snail mail is worth a shit…
Doing REALLY simple holiday baking (like dipping pretzels) with or without the kids takes little effort and makes me feel like I’m “participating” in something “Christmas-y”. ( I posted the Ritz Cracker Cookie recipe on my blog the other day…)
Stopping myself from thinking every gift has to be PERFECT is a great relief. I’m doing my best over here, people, and if you don’t LURVE what you got, you still have to love me. =)
I like reading Chrstmas stories with my kids. My all time fav is “The Night Tree” by Eve Bunting. Again, something simple that brings on the holiday spirit.
I’m not holiday spirit all the time over here, don’t get me wrong. I think many times I’m feeling the same way you described…
Marie Green | December 18th, 2007 at 11:17 pm