‘Tis the season to be stressed. Deck the halls with bows of anxiety. Up on the house top, blood pressure spikes!
Any of these sound familiar to you? How did a season filled with magic, candy canes, gifts for those we love and awaiting the baby Jesus become such a stressful, hectic time?
I mean, I get it. I’ve got teacher gifts to remember to purchase, wrap and send. I have gifts for family near and far. I have a budget to try and honor. I have a checklist of fun Christmas activities to check off. I have my list of Netflix Christmas movies AND classics to “fit in”. I have a sneaky Elf that moves at night and mixes up trouble! I get it. It is a lot. But this year, I promised my husband (and myself) that I’d enjoy the season. I’d let go of a few things, those “picture perfect moments” you try and plan out, worrying about someone not liking a gift I’d picked, and the stress of figuring out how coordinate all of the celebrations. In the past, everything has had a way of working out, I didn’t need to stress about it, I just needed to let it happen.
So, instead of adding more to your to-do list for this time of year. Why don’t we take a few things off and make some swaps.
- Let’s release the worry.
- Let’s look at our capacity and only commit to those events we can fully enjoy, afford and have time for.
- Let’s sit by the Christmas tree and take in it’s beauty instead of having a perfectly clean house.
- Let’s ask our spouses and kids help wrap instead of playing the martyr and doing it all alone (unless we love that, then carry on and enjoy your time!!)
- Let’s be honest with family, and ourselves, about what events we can attend.
- Let’s make room for nothing, instead of packing our schedules full.
- Let’s enjoy the craftiness that comes with a gift budget… even Santa has his limits!
- Let’s breathe and look up from our phones - we don’t want to miss any twinkly lights!
And honestly friends, let’s seek out the little calm moments, the little moments of joy and wonder. Let’s focus on our loved one’s smiles and hugs, instead searching for something wrong in a moment. Let’s let the children’s questions, laughter, and wonder fill our souls … remember when you felt like they do now? Let’s also remember that this time of year can be very hard for some and show up with compassion, empathy and connection.
This is my first Christmas without my Grandma and even though I can’t remember what my she gave me last Christmas, but I certainly can remember the way she listened to my stories and that last hug she gave me. That’s what I have this year to cling to, and I’m so grateful I took stock of those moments instead of hurrying past them. The little moments of calm, joy and connections are everything.
I wish you a magical season of connection filled with joy, calm, and love.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays friends!
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Carrianne Nackers
Artist/Founder of The Happy Apricot
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