Countdown to Christmas: 10 Days!

Let’s do a Countdown to Christmas: Day 10 today.

I thought I would focus on the 10 most common emotions during this time of year, according to a quick Google search. In no particular order: 

Stress

Worry

Anxiety

Overwhelm

Depression

Sadness

Trauma

Frustration

Grief

Anger

As a mom of many, even now as a Mom of mostly adult children and Grandma to 7+ grands, I think I have felt ALL of those emotions on the daily on all the days leading up to Christmas!!!  And then the day after when there is grumbling and complaining about what they got for Christmas. It wasn’t the perfect gift. Something didn’t fit right. Someone got the better toys/gifts. 

I did the best I could and I have to go with that. There are A LOT of presents to buy for all these people and only so much money. I have not gone into debt for Christmas for many years now. I don’t need that struggle following me after Christmas too!! 

Countdown to Christmas: STRESS

To that end, let’s chat about stress first. 

What causes you the most stress during Christmas?? Expectations?? 

Whose Expectations?? Yours? Someone else’s? 

What else causes you stress during Christmas? 

For me, it has been traditionally, my own expectations. I want everything to be perfect and everyone to be happy. I also wanted to have all the Christmas cookies. All the food. I wanted to have the perfect Christmas letter to share with friends and family. One year I even decided I was going to make my daughters adorable Christmas outfits!! 

(I almost got them… I ended up calling in backup at the last minute!!  Mom to the rescue!! And, yes, they did look adorable!!) 

We made lots of Christmas ornaments. We did Advent devotions complete with a craft each week to complete. As a group we would go out Christmas shopping. (If THAT isn’t stressful, I don’t know what is!!) 

Ok. So seriously. WHY??!!

I finally realized that killing myself every year to only fall short and be exhausted and crabby by the time Christmas came wasn’t worth it. The season is supposed to be fun and enjoyable and that was just not. 

A few years ago, of course it helped that the kids started growing too old for so much of it, I decided enough was enough. I let go. 

Now- I give the budget and ask for lists. Specific lists. It does make things so much easier. I have not done a Christmas letter or cards for many years now. This year, I had some time so I did send out cards. 

I do enjoy making cookies so I will do that. 

Can I just say ONLINE SHOPPING IS THE BEST INVENTION EVER??!!!! 

Amen….

Most of my shopping happens online and packages arrive at my house!! I get to shop on my couch before the fire with my cup of tea and my notebook of lists. 

So what can you do to simplify your holiday? What EXPECTATION can you release so that the holiday is not about stress? How can you find peace in your world? 

I would love to hear what you decide to do different!!  

Countdown to Christmas Day 10.. Think about your stress level and what do you want to do differently to alleviate that. Hopefully, I will see you tomorrow with day 9: Worry. (Thats my plan anyways..)

Blessings!