11.30.18
Is the thought of decorating your home & tree as well as gift buying stressing you out?
Now that Thanksgiving is over, company has gone home and you are pretty much finished with your leftovers, everyone is gung-ho to get their holiday spirit on! So often my clients feel that there is so much to do and simply not enough time to do it!
I thought I would share with you a little about how we are handling the holiday hustle in our household. For us, we will not be in town much over the holiday season which has caused me to rethink how we are decorating this year. Typically, company comes to us and we truly deck the halls. While we still want to have that festive spirit among us, we’ve come to realize that we just don’t need to get everything out. So, this year we are having a minimalistic Christmas. We brought the artificial tree (can’t do real if we won’t be here to water it) out of the attic and decided to adorn it with red berries, ribbon and tinsel. And guess what? It still looks beautiful and festive! No need to put all the ornaments on the tree. It takes time and energy to decorate it all on the tree and then after, to put it all away. The same thing goes for the rest of the inside of the house. Just a couple favorite decorations in each room but we certainly didn’t bring out the bins and put it all out. As for the outside decorations, we have some lighted pots by the door, candles in the windows and a winter swag on the door. Again, easy to put up and take down! We weren’t sure how we would feel about this because we have never done this before. And, you guessed it, it feels good! We will enjoy what have and not have to stress about getting everything out and then after the holiday is over, putting it all away. And believe me, the putting it all away part often stresses me out because I want to fit everything back into the containers properly! Maybe some of you can relate? I hope so anyway!
This goes hand in hand with gift giving as well. I’m sure that like me, you have all experienced a gift exchange that we may not have looked forward to because what you received was a “generic” gift. Like a coffee mug filled with chocolate. Or maybe holiday kitchen towels. While both are kind gestures, you probably don’t need another mug or towel. Last year I was getting together with a friend who I exchanged gifts with the year prior. I was honest and asked that in leu of a gift exchange, would she would join me for lunch so that we could gift each other with a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle and simply sit down and enjoy each other’s company over a delicious meal. Not only was the company and the food good, most restaurants decorate so nicely for the holidays that we enjoyed the surroundings as well. I encourage you to take time to nurture your friendships and let your loved ones know that it is not the “stuff” that you cherish, but the quality time spent with them.
Remember, it’s okay if you don’t use all of your ornaments and decorations. Sometimes less is more and simply enjoy the decorations that mean the most to you. Call a long-distance friend and enjoy the conversation. This reminds me of my Great Aunt Burdella (now 101 years old!). One year she decided to call and wished us a happy holiday instead of sending cards. And I cherish that phone call. Life is short and it’s far better to make the most of your time instead of having regrets from not letting those you know how important they are to you. Make plans to spend time with those that you typically exchange gifts with and most of all, enjoy the season!
Wishing all of you a simple and stress-free holiday filled with love and cheer!
Contact Julie for help with your organizing needs or to schedule a speaking engagement.