Merry Christmas To You

Because I’m not sure I’ll get to say it before the busyness of the holidays really sets in – Merry Christmas to you and yours.  I sincerely hope that you find time this holiday season to find a bit of joy, peace and happiness.  With life and all it’s challenges, sometimes it gets hard to focus on the small things.  I hope you find time for what matters this holiday season.

I know for me, I have managed to spread out shopping and gift buying over the past few months.  We don’t entertain or go anywhere for the holidays – we stay home and that’s okay by me.  I like the quiet and staying in pj’s most of the day on Christmas day.  It’s comforting.  But I have managed to spread out all that we want for our holiday feast over the last few months as well to make it a little easier on the pocketbook.  (smile).   The gift buying has been more thoughtful I think.  More intentional and purposeful.  I still think we spend too much, but it’s sure hard not to.

I know this time of year has it’s magic.  Beautiful decorations, happy Christmas carols, get togethers, parties, and dinners.  I also know the heartbreak that comes with it.

The feeling of overwhelm.  Grief.  Sadness.   It’s a tough holiday to navigate when you’re feeling any of those things, and if you are in that place I send a big hug your way and words of encouragement to help you through.

I think it’s hard to fight against what the world tells us Christmas SHOULD be.  The perfect picture, with the perfect tree, and the perfect family, and presents and food etc etc.

Find what works for you and do that.  Make the holiday your own.  Start your own traditions.  Do it big or do nothing at all.

I will be doing a bit of baking this weekend.  Not a lot because it costs more this year, white chocolate chips are hard to find, and I’m pretty sure I will eat most of what I bake as I’m baking it and that’s just not what I want for my waistline going into 2024. (smile).

I will be going to church on Christmas Eve.  We’ll drive around and look at lights and hope for a few flakes of snow to make it look pretty and magical.

My oldest daughter will be working Christmas day this year, so we will wake up early, open stockings (fingers crossed we’ve been good this year and Santa makes it to our house!!!) and then presents when she gets home in the late afternoon.  That will be different for sure.

This year has been a bit more challenging for some reason, to find the spirit of the holidays.  No matter how many cheesy Hallmark movies I watch, I’m still struggling to find it this year.  I think a lot of people are feeling that way.  Life is just hard sometimes.  Expensive.

So I hope that with all that is going on around you, you find time for you this Christmas.  Do a few things just for you.  Escape with a good book.  The library is still free (smile).  Light a candle.  Enjoy a hot chocolate.  Walk through the lights.  Write a letter to a friend.  Catch up with someone you haven’t talked to in a long time.  Reach out to those who might be struggling right now.  Don’t wait for them to reach out to you.  Your message might be just what they need.  Watch a cheesy movie.  Bake some cookies.  Eat the dough.  Eat the cookies. (smile).   Dance in the living room when nobody’s watching and just let go of the worries and frustrations.  (OK that might have been how I started my morning, but it worked for me and might help YOU too!)

Don’t let the world tell you how to make the holidays special.  Make your own magic.  Make your own holiday magic.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.  I’m always excited about a new year – a new start, with new goals and dreams and plans.

Thank you for sharing your afternoons with me and for all the emails and texts you have sent through 2023.  I hope in 2024 we get our Facebook and Instagram back so we can get back to connecting even more.

As always – feel free to reach out and let me know what your plans are for the holidays!  What are you doing to make it special?  What is something you are doing for you?

Merry Christmas!  and Happy New Year!

Carrie

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan