I am trying to have Happy Holidays Really!! this year. Not that my Holidays aren't Happy usually, but - as so many of you moms out there can relate too - the Holidays add stress and strain to an already packed schedule and daily agenda, not to mention the drain it is going to put on our budget (after starting 2 businesses this year...we are watching every penny - literally)! :)
The first thing I have done this season to have a Happy Holiday Really! is to let my husband and three sons put away the Thanksgiving decorations and get out the Christmas ones. What?! That sounds so nice of them...how is that something I have done, you might wonder? Well...while it was very nice of them, it was also an exercise in letting go of control and just realizing that while I am going to have some of my lovely decorations bent, crushed or even broken - they have saved me much time which I can use to do other wonderful things like laundry, paying bills, writing out the Christmas cards (one of those schedule straining activities I alluded to earlier)...
The next thing I am going to do is to KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS! This is the most important thing I am going to do this season! It bothers me more than I can express that while the snowmen and Santa motif decorations, etc. are cute...they are not what this season is all about. So...my family and I will keep the reason for the season in perspective which in and of itself should keep our Holidays Happy Really!! (Believe me...snowman decor is a favorite at our house, however; I have started putting it out in January as we get so little snow - if any snow! - and so it my way of creating a snowy winter for my children)!
Another thing which is key for us to have Happy Holidays Really! is to not overspend!! We usually do pretty good in this area as using credit cards makes me feel physically ill, however; with our new employment situations this year we are having to spend even less. My credit card phobia is actually one of the reasons which led me to buy a Just Between Franchise...second-hand items are wonderful (yes, really!) and buying second-hand enables me to buy more and/or do more for our children. If you don't know about consignment sales, I would love to tell you all about them!! :-) Another budget helper is coupons. We save hundreds of dollars per year just by using our coupons!! For a while, I had gotten away from using them as they were taking up too much time. However, a mom from my MOPS group told me about The Grocery Game and while I do pay a monthly fee - I save way more money than the fee and it is savings that I would otherwise miss out on. I could go on and on with money-saving tips, but...I guess the last one I will post here is to just analyze everything before you trash it or get rid of it. Old jeans for example are being turned into fabulous quilts for my 3 sons plus their mom! These quilts are not only functional, but...they are great, usable momentos from my children. When I get the quilt finished, I will post a picture. (I did a t-shirt quilt in 2006 just to practice my skills with and it turned out very well!! - my husband finally realized the value in moving all of my old shirts from high school and college and even our honeymoon once he saw the finished product and now he even helps me pick out t-shirts while we travel as he knows that after about 3 years or so, I will retire these shirts and make a new quilt out of them for us).
Finally...I am going to take a cue from my children this year as to how much/little we do as far as holiday activities and outings. So many times, I spend time searching and searching for things we can do either around town or even as activities in the house when in fact...the children are just happy to use their time off from school to spend with my husband and me plus each other. So...if they want to look at lights and get hot chocolate, we will and if not then we won't! (Okay...on this one - if they don't, my husband and I will still do this - - LOL!). If they want to get their pictures with Santa...away we go, but again, if they don't then I am just as happy to take their picture in front of our beautiful tree which they have decorated. Yep...my kids decorate the tree by themselves and yes...our tree is most heavily adorned at the bottom! (I do manage to spread a few of the decoration from the bottom to the top while they are at school, but - it won't be too long and either 1) they won't want to decorate the tree or 2) they are going to be tall teenagers and I will miss our "bottom-heavy" tree!).
So, as I begin my Holidays "tasks" it is with a joyful heart as this year I am going to have a Happy Holiday Really! That is my wish for you too!! I always love hearing from you and I would especially love to know how your holidays are going! Send me an e-mail or you can reach me on Facebook. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me -
Smiles,
Andrea
