Being Perfect and Doing More

I was sitting at my desk feeling the anxiety of the season overcoming me.  I have hardly bought any presents, I have not baked one cookie, the tree is not up, not one Christmas card has been written and my weekends are filling up fast.  Just want to postpone or better yet cancel Christmas because I am not ready.

Then it hit me; what kind of Christmas would it be if there was no presents, no cookies, no tree, no Christmas cards and I was a grump!  I am finding myself not wanting Christmas because it is too much work because I have put a standard on myself; not necessarily anyone else.  I think I have to have the house filled with sparkling lights and seasonal scents.  The stockings have to be perfectly hung, the presents have to be wrapped in shiny paper with majestic ribbons, and no one must be forgotten.  Year after year I make the expectations of what Christmas should be greater than last year.  More cookies, more lights, more presents, more cards, more Christmas movies, more Christmas activities...MORE MORE MORE!

I do not want a Christmas without presents, cookies or a beautifully decorated tree but more than that I do not want to spoil Christmas for my family by being a grump.  Granted the little ones may be disappointed if they do not have the latest video game but I think they will survive.  I do not think they will mind if they do not have peppermint candy cane cookies, buckeyes, sugar cookies, and fudge.  As long as they can stick their hand in the cookie jar and pull out a snack before dinner they will be delighted.

 I want them to know Christmas is about celebrating the birth of baby Jesus, about giving to others, about family and about love.  When they grow up yes they might remember how mom frantically cleaned, cooked, and entertained during Christmas but I am sure they would remember me being grumpy.  So for the rest of the season I am going to stop and ask myself is this really that important or would it be better to curl up with my adorable 5 year old and read him a story.

Maybe you should ask yourself too; are you getting wrapped up in the perfection and expectations of Christmas and forgetting about the true meaning of Christmas.

I wish to everyone reading this and everyone sharing this with a friend much love, peace and happiness!  Those are the gifts that makes Christmas PERFECT!