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BY BECKY REIL
It’s the most stressful time of the year. If your “to do” list is like most, it includes sending a card to everyone you know, buying gifts for your family and coworkers and decorating your home. Oh, I almost forgot…baking and doubling your social calendar. How can you do it all and still enjoy the holidays?
Simplify Holiday Decorations Christmas shower curtains, dish towels and similar knick-knacks are just storage problems. Skip excessive decorations and set yourself free. Using natural greens is also a great time saver. It avoids retrieving and unpacking items from the attic or other nether regions of your home. Look for interesting greenery when you go about your errands. Last year I kept a pair of pruners in my car. I took a few sprigs of nandina from the bushes outside the library, winterberries from my doctor’s office and holly from the entrance of my neighborhood. They were free, lasted about two weeks, and then were pitched in the compost pile. Exterior decorations can also be streamlined. Buy a wreath. Aim a spotlight at your front door, set a candle in each window and then STOP decorating.
Do Your Shopping and Christmas Cards Early Buy your Christmas cards when they are on sale in January and address and sign them in July or August. No one will know and you’ll thank yourself in December. Designate a closet for Christmas storage and start buying Christmas presents in the spring. Buy one or two gifts each month. Even if you don’t want to buy gifts for family members early, knock out gifts for coworkers and friends throughout the year. This reduces your workload and credit card bill in December. You’ll also save money since you’ll find things on sale throughout the year.
Scale Back Dinner I learned a few years back that I can’t make dinner rolls better than Sister Schubert. It costs more for me to make rolls from scratch, so I conceded and now use frozen rolls. Don’t exceed two or three side dishes. Christmas dinner is not an endurance sport. It’s a meal meant to be celebrated with family, and you can’t do that if you’re exhausted. For dessert, buy the best store bought desserts. Don’t feel guilty; there are other times throughout the year to enjoy baking.
Start a New Tradition Replace an old tradition with something that focuses on togetherness, not effort. Make a thermos of hot chocolate and walk around a scenic part of your town. Instead of an elaborate Christmas breakfast, buy an Italian panettone and serve it with real whipped cream. This sweet holiday bread is available in many flavors and is usually found only during the holidays.
Lastly, Lower Your Expectations. We hinge so many hopes and demands on Christmas. Much of the stress that builds this time of year is generated from our own demands. Be happier with less. Do less. Years from now, as we look back, we won’t remember if the food and decorations were perfect. But we will remember the time we passed with our loved ones.
Becky Reil is a lover of art, architecture and good food. Traveling with her husband and friends is her favorite way to enjoy all of her interests. She ate her way through thirteen countries and has several trips planned for the near future, but local food is her passion. Becky is constantly working to enlarge her fabric stash and enjoys quilting and collecting textiles.
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