Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Travis, recovering from the holidays.


Okay, I'm back.

So, every year Christmas kicks my butter, and I've decided to come up with a plan for next year. Actually, I just got some help from Debbie, who left this comment on my last post:

No wonder you haven't had time for blogging! I've finally learned the secret to a relatively stress-free Christmas; buy presents all year long, don't send any cards, keep decorating to a minimum, don't put the tree up too early, and have everyone that's coming to Christmas dinner bring several dishes. This makes Christmas a piece of fruitcake or at least a plum pudding!

Great advice! I'm thinking about running out tomorrow and buying wrapping paper, ribbon, and boxes and storing them for next Christmas. And this year, I'm definitely going to buy presents in May and take a break (maybe) from homemade gifts (unless they're made super-early). And make Christmas cookies early and freeze them.

These are things I think of every year, but for some reason, when I have a fleeting thought in October that I ought to start on Christmas, I tell myself it's really not that much work. I also resent the idea that Christmas preparations should take half the year.

Can I be honest? I really don't care for Christmas much. It's just such hard work, and it doesn't let up for weeks. I never feel the deep spiritual feelings I think I ought to be feeling; I just feel cranky. I would love to celebrate it as a religious holiday, with minimal decorations, food and gifts (though I do like gifts, don't get me wrong). As things go now, I give up a month of every year to making sure Christmas is everything it's supposed to be.

But we're not stopping Christmas here; the Grinch will not be slipping and sliding down the mountain to steal our roast beast. So I will start buying gifts in February and make address labels for the boxes I'll mail in December. Maybe it'll help. Fingers crossed.

***

My best gift this Christmas? It was the Christmas miracle of Jack's presence. He came out of his room and ate snacks and listened to Christmas carols and was in general cheerful and good company. This went on for days. He was nice to Will. He chatted. He made conversation with our neighbors when we went over for a Christmas Eve visit.

Jack's very sad that Christmas is over. He observes Christmas better than anybody I know. He loves it. He's already counting the days until next Christmas. 358. Time to get to work!

***

My New Year's Resolution: Stand up straight. It's the same one I make every year. One year I'm really going to do it. I'm going to have excellent posture. Maybe it will be this year. Maybe 2015. Who knows. I'll just keep resolving until I get 'er done.

What's you're resolution? Have you ever made a resolution you kept? Do tell!

6 comments:

Gumbo Lily said...

I was just telling Hubs this morning that I resolved to start doing Yoga every day in 2011. Did not do it. Nope. Just stretching now and then. I'm not making resolutions.

I'm glad Jack was so happy and cordial.

Jody

Leslie said...

I don't make resolutions either. Today I have been doing really bad things...breaking resolutions I would have made IF I made them. I ate a whole bag of candy which is certainly not how one maintains her weight loss and then I ordered 3 books when I should be practicing frugality AND I should be reading the books I already own. I tried to think of other bad things to do but that was about the extent of it.

Happy New Year, Frances!

Tracy said...

I'm a bit of a bah-humbug person before Christmas. And I concur with the advice you were given. Miss Mischief put up and decorated the tree, I don't write cards and I had my gifts all bought and wrapped a week before. It all felt more sane. More importantly, I knew what I wanted to give people - that made the difference.

I'm not a New Year's Resolver because I know it'll never happen. But I would be very happy if my new digital bathroom scales decided to be my friend this year. My old scales were very unfriendly.

Pom Pom said...

How lovely that Jack feels inspired around Christmas!
I'm going to go outside more, even if it's cold.
Oh, and I'm going to collect toadstools.
Travis = ADORABLE

The dB family said...

Hooray for Jack! Boys are very, um.... interesting at that age. I'm happy Bub has outgrown it. He's rarely not congenial now.

I think Travis and Maverick would be great lazy pals. Maverick is much like a cat these days. Finds the sun -- if there is any -- and follows it. We hardly see him.

Christmas was very minimal here this year and really, I enjoyed it.

No, no resolutions here. Goals yes, but no resolutions.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!!

Blessings!
Deborah

Susan said...

One resolution I kept from last year: To only use reusable totes for groceries.

Just so you don't think I'm one of those annoying overachievers who always accomplishes what she sets out to do, the following resolutions were unsuccessful: take a multi-vitamin and fish oil tablet each morning, enjoy the outdoors everyday, be frustrated less and smile more.

Standing up straight has been on my list since I was 14. I've really got to work on this one. Do you think yoga class or dance class might be helpful in this area?

My husband has asked me twice why I seem so "frowny." I'm sure he's confusing exhaustion with a disagreeable attitude. I don't feel anything but bone tired from the holidays. My introverted self also needs my kids and spouse to be back in their places so I can have some minutes of solitude that fill my soul. Face it, after the holidays, the well is bone dry.