Rushing home from work on Christmas eve, cleaning house, wrapping gifts, cooking and creating a certain holiday ambiance. Stress? You bet!
Every year I “ramped it up” and loved every moment, even through the times I was reduced to tears from fatigue. I always promised myself that I would do better the next year. I would be better organized, start earlier, save money, even down size. Ha ha
It never happened, but I never had any regrets over Christmas. The overspending, the excesses that could slip by unnoticed…I used to make Cranberry sauce and stuffing from scratch, a 15-20 lb. turkey, a couple of meat pies with a Cream cheese pastry and Sugar cookies of course. I did it all with various degrees of success.
I look back at those years fondly. My children loved Christmas and never noticed the many “flaws”.
Here I am in my late 60′s, retired and well organized! (somewhat, let’s say).
I redesigned my tree early last year because I promised that I wouldn’t be dragging out the same old decorations for 30 years as our parents did. Now, I don’t need one ornament or decoration. My cards, paper and napkins were bought on sale last January. I don’t need a thing and the “Hearts Desires” lists get smaller every year. Our artificial tree is as lovely as the real ones. gifts are not piled high around it, in fact, the gifts are neatly gathered into gift bags because the gift exchanges and turkey dinners are not always at our house.
Go ahead. Ask me if I miss anything. The answer is no.
There truly is a season for everything. Recognizing that fact is an act of freedom, a permission to relax.
The moral of the story is:
Savor Christmas. Savor your life and be prepared to move on.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
Pat
PS: I wrote this Christmas message earlier than usual, hoping to motivate families to get with it…now! 
November 5, 2010 at 5:35 pm |
The only sad thing is that your “gift bags to go” are so far away from our tree.
November 6, 2010 at 4:38 pm |
Maybe we can celebrate “Christmas in July?”. Keep that tree handy, you never know when we’ll show up! Love you all.xx Pat
November 5, 2010 at 5:45 pm |
“Savor Christmas” – two fine words that belong together! I’m with you on that … here in Michigan, the Holiday music is already on the radio now 24/7. I want to enjoy the holiday .. but neither rush INTO it nor rush THROUGH it. Happy Holidays to you & Yours .. Peace!
November 6, 2010 at 4:47 pm |
Hi Michigan- We visited once and really liked it.
Here in Quebec, in stores this week, Halloween things were being taken down and Christmas put in it’s place. At WalMart, 1 shelf Haloween, next shelf, Christmas…a bit bizarre and garish. Christmas music was playing-(not my favourite). I think I’ll leave the shopping for the last minute, just to conjur up a bit of old familiar “panic”.
All the best!
Pat
November 5, 2010 at 7:13 pm |
Love your concept. If you’ve given your children the “traditions”, they will live on, not necessarily by your hand or exactly the same as you created, but unique nonetheless. Love Christmas and it’s really not about the turkey, but that warm fuzzy feeling memories evoke.
November 6, 2010 at 4:32 pm |
I DO love the warm & fuzzies, and look forward to it all playing out, soon. xx
November 6, 2010 at 6:02 pm |
I remember the days. Good article. Love the Christmas in July idea.
November 6, 2010 at 10:37 pm |
Hi Jude,
We haven’t heard from you for ages…drop a line.
Thanks,
xx Pat
November 9, 2010 at 2:08 pm |
Beautiful – makes me want to go north for Christmas, so maybe I will.
November 15, 2010 at 7:31 pm |
Hi Pat, and All,
Merry Christmas! It really is early to be saying that, but it still sounds good!
Good to hear you are still kicking. There is an old term. My kids call them Dadisms
Every time I hear from you or someone else from the Pat, I say to myself, I have to go back there once. One for my bucket list. I still have some childhood memories of the place and I keep wondering if I could connect them. There is one fellow who has posted some pictures of the end of Ontario route 599. In one of his posted pictures you can see the old mine head building. Do you know if there are any other current pictures of the Hotel or any of the streets. If you go on Google you can see some of the old streets with names like Cohen Ave. Webster Ave.,Connel St. Patricia St., Riverside Dr. I noticed this revision of Google Maps shows a North Road that goes beyond Central Patricia all the way up to Windigo Lake. I am not sure if it was always there or if they have just completed it recently and Google started to show it.
Hope this finds you all well.
Glenn