Christmas Plans

   Yes, I am THAT mom.

    I am sitting here, trying to figure out what to do about Christmas.

    In the past, we have tried to keep Christmas less "commercial"... I know, I am not doing my duty to support the massive lines, the fights over the "in" toy or really even trying to support artificial consumerism....

    Sigh...

    My children do not own every video game, music player or their own bounce house. We are not that family.

    One year, I was pretty sure that commercials and new friends were invading my bubble. My five year old asked for an iphone. She assured me that she would get one because that is what Christmas is all about...

     Hmmmmmmmm......

     So, we (gasp) made gifts for each other and packed 42 boxes of socks, oreos and other goodies for troops overseas fighting this war. We also mailed over 600 Christmas cards with handwritten notes and drawings.

     Now, credit where credit is due, when my friends found out what we were doing, they contributed money for postage and baby wipes, travel sized shampoos, other toiletries and other snacks...

     Yes, I am THAT momma.

     I get a bit snarky about Christmas. Christmas is sacred to me. 

     When I was a child, I was fortunate enough. I always had plenty of everything. Things were always very busy and very loud.

      Christmas was the one day every year that I could count on. Both of my parents were with me. Everyone was fairly quiet. It was peaceful.

      Let me explain a little. 

      Both of my parents travelled a LOT. My mother was in either Italy or Germany the first time I experienced a blizzard. The first time I experienced a blizzard, our school bus crashed and I didn't get to class until 10:30. My father was in Greece during my softball awards ceremony.

     Things happen. They had jobs. They had to travel. Every year we were together at Christmas. 

     So there it is.

     I have a special place in my heart for families who cannot be together at Christmas. I hope that they have some other "permanent" thing to hold on to.

      Those permanent things matter.

      We make time for Christmas. We put thought into it. We try to make someone else's Christmas a little better.

     So what will I do this year?

     To be honest, due to all of the uncertainty, I am considering putting up the tree this week. We don't know what will happen this week, much less what will happen between now and Christmas.

     There is already too much pressure on the date of Christmas this year. Both doctors have said that the biggest goal right now is to get him to Christmas without having another heart attack.

     Ugh....

     So how on earth do I keep Christmas a big deal and reduce some of the pressure?

     I am thinking that this year, maybe we should keep things simple and small. Maybe I will give each person a small box and a small notepad. My idea is that they write something they like, or some memory they have about the other people in this family every day. Then at Christmas, we can sit together and read them like Mad Libs.

      I am also thinking that if things don't go as well as we hope, that we will have all written down some of the best things about each other. I am thinking we will need this, no matter what.

      It is known that stress tears people apart. Pain divides people. I intend to beat that. I do not intend to allow this situation to divide and conquer us. I love us too much for that.

     I am trying to help my family stay focused on joy, grace, light, love and all of the other good and positive things.

      I hope that no matter what your plans are for Christmas, that you each have enough. Enough food, enough love, enough family, enough friends...because no matter how much thought I put into Christmas each year... we have always had enough and more.

      

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