Keeping Up With Christmas Plans

Pretty angel.

Actually, I wasn't going to post because I'm always afraid of the mundane for anyone who reads it, but, then I ask, why not?  Go for it.  : )

The thing about December and keeping up with Christmas plans is that everything else needs to be done at the same time.  The laundry just doesn't throw itself into the washer and dryer.  The meals just don't appear at the table.  The floors don't miraculously stay clean.  And I don't have the groceries dropped off at the front door.  Then to add sending out cards, shopping for gifts, wrapping gifts, baking special goodies, etc., well, it's tiring to say the least.  But I still can't imagine not doing it.

Yesterday afternoon I sat down with hot chocolate in the mug and Christmas music playing and wrote all our Christmas cards in one sitting.  That is a first.  : )  But now I know that it's done and can relax a bit on that one.  I keep asking myself every year if this is something I want to keep doing and the answer is always a resounding "yes."  I, myself, love to go to the mailbox and find a card so I just assume that others do as well.

This morning during my time of making the menu and grocery list, I also took extra time to find the recipes for the little baking that I'll be doing.  In a past post I had mentioned that the three of us talked about what our favorite things are and we each came up with a specific baked good.  It has to be Grandma's Nut Goodie Bars (which is really a candy), the old-fashioned sugar cookie cutouts (it wouldn't be Christmas without them), and the Peanut Blossom cookies (you know, the ones with the Hershey Kiss in the middle).   So, that makes it pretty easy.

And our stockings will hold twelve small gifts to be opened every day until the 12th day of Christmas on January 6th.  This will be different for us too.  I'm hoping this will help ease that "let-down" we all feel after Christmas Day celebrations are over.  We're really trying to lead up to Christmas Day and THEN celebrate instead of doing everything now and having nothing left to do.

For a person who resists change, there is a LOT of change this year.  But maybe it's time.  We'll keep holding on to those few things that remain constant, but we also need to try some things a different way.  If it works maybe it will become our new way of doing things (God willing), and if it doesn't, then we'll know and remember not to do it next year.

I've noticed that on almost every news break on Christian radio, there is some town somewhere here in the U.S. who is trying to take Christmas away (like they really can) so I have an idea that I wanted to remember to share with you.  My husband and I still enjoy driving around looking at lights and when we notice a yard that has a manger scene up we try to write the address down and send a card of thanks for keeping Christ in Christmas.  It's one way to encourage one another to show what the true meaning of Christmas really is.  I hope you'll give it a try where you live.  : )

Well, that's all folks!  I hope I didn't make you yawn too much.  LOL  May God protect you and guide you and give you a Christmas peace.  Thanks for dropping by - you are ALWAYS welcome.