The question was posed to me last weekend…
What do you do to prepare yourself for the holidays. For Christmas.
Of course it was in church and there was no way I was actually going to answer out loud in front of the congeration. (Mostly because people past the age of 10 can’t hear me….if I could tell you how many times I hear “WHAT???” in a day…..)
My mom used to wrap our presents in what seemed to be the same boxes and with the same wrapping paper and same bows for 20 years. We used to tease her mercifully about who would get the same Wilson shoe box, and while I applaud her for reusing things and recycling, mind you I compost, recycle, up cycle and re-use most things in my life…. everything but Christmas wrapping paper and bows. I start my Christmas preparations a year in advance by buying everything new right after Christmas. And it all matches.
Needless to say…
How do I prepare?
I do it all.
Since I’ve been old enough… I do it all.
I cook. I entertain. I bake. I take pictures. I send pictures. I make things. I make sure my kid is making things. I traipse through snow for a tree. I go to parties. I buy new clothes. I drink hot chocolate. I make hot chocolate from scratch. I make cards. I make tags. I wrap for hours locked in a closet. While sipping gin, because that is the only way to survive Christmas present wrapping. (Seriously, how hard is it to keep track of the scissors and tape in a tiny little area?) I listen to music. I see lights. I travel to this place and that place and all over kingdom come. I hug everyone I see and love. I give stuff away. I drink Tom and Jerry’s, and Slush and have roasted chestnuts over an open fire (which are totally disgusting by the way.) I sing at church and light my candle and rush back to eat more and celebrate more. Poinsettias are everywhere in my house along with all the other things that make my house beautiful this time of year. I do it all. When Clark Grizwold talked about a fun old fashioned family Christmas…. I’ve done it all. I’ve even electrocuted myself. (true story and totally afraid of twinkle light because of it. ) To prepare for Christmas I try to squeeze in as much as I can. Not because I want to have the perfect Christmas, or try to be the perfect mom, or person…. but because I have always loved to do it all. I’m exhausted and worn out and normally lose my shit several times the last few days…. but I still love it.
That’s how I prepare.
But what about the things you can’t prepare for?
Terrible weather. Constant worry. Missing people who should be there with you and aren’t. Families hurting. Hospital visits. Missing the singing voices that have sat next to you for 35 years. Sickness. Kids growing up. I’m not prepared for that. I’m not prepared for any of that. At all.
So I guess all the preparation maybe helps keep my mind off of the things I can’t prepare for. Because there are always things you can’t prepare for. You never know what will happen day to day. A day can make a big difference.
Look what happened the day a kid was born in a barn…
What a difference a day can make….
