For some of us, the shopping has begun (even if Christmas stuff was in the big-box stores well before Halloween!) For others, there’s that sinking feeling of “OMG! There’s only 2 months left!”
So you get into pre-pre-gaming for Christmas by getting the kids to start their letters to Santa with a long list of “but Mom, I have to have this!” items, maybe even mailing those letters to the North Pole, and then Amazon or small local store shopping for those items ON the Santa lists. Don’t forget to hide them well so the kids don’t find them ahead of time! (I always knew where Mom hid most of our gifts; and after I was an adult, Mom said she always knew when we had crept into the back of her closet and disturbed the packages! Moms always know - which is why my Mom wrapped them as soon as she could! Sneaky Mom.)
Then there’s the menu planning for several months of holidays, turkey and/or ham shopping, finding room in the freezer to store said turkey if you’re not buying fresh, telling the family “I think I want to try something new this Thanksgiving” and the family yelling “NO! It has to remain exactly the same every year otherwise it’s just NOT Thanksgiving!” BTDT.
Gathering family and friends together is what’s important, if that’s what YOU want to do. And if you’re not going to be with family or friends, because of distance or by choice, or by loss? That’s OK too - make your own traditions, whether it’s serving food at a shelter, going for a hike, staying home in your jammies all day and grazing on nibbles and having a movie marathon.
Remember - breathe. It’ll all get done. It doesn’t have to be ab-fab perfect. But it should be what you want it to be, as much as you can make it so.
Dinner will be served, laughter will be had, old memories will be remembered, and new ones will be made.
. One of my favourite Groucho lines ever!!
