How we’ve been keeping the Christmas activities going

OK so, I still have yet to actually mail the Christmas cards (they will go in the mail tomorrow for sure), but the rest of this holiday season has been pretty smooth If I do say so myself. There has been a lot of pacing involved, minimal planning in a lot of just fun low level activities. Aiden and I have been engaged in little bits and pieces of things here and there and it’s been a good time. Courtesy of Target and Walmart and Dollar Store decorations this holiday season has seemingly been low-cost and low lift. Let me share with you how we’ve been keeping up with let me share with you how we’ve been keeping up with weekly a minimum of weekly activities this season.

The Target Dollarspot section is your friend and worst enemy. When each holiday comes around I find myself getting so excited and carried away. There are so many little knickknacks and enticing activities and things to do that you can’t help yourself, or at least I can’t. We have our little gingerbread kit that we completed already, as well as our DIY Christmas ornaments. We also have a handprint ornament that Aiden will be able to do this week, then decorate there after and hang on the tree. The DIY Christmas ornaments were cool because they came in different shapes to choose from and have a little craft add ones that you could buy of course. Little packets of craft snow, jingle bells, other snow like things and red confetti like things were additional items that you could purchase. Although the craft snow is made out of a Styrofoam like material and created a huge mess in my living room, it was still a great activity that kept Aiden excited and engaged. With a lot of patience and pursuit, we completed the activity and he hung up each of his for ornaments that he created.

In hindsight I think the difference of this Christmas season from last is that everything is just falling into place the way it should and without pressure. I remove the pressure of going into stores for things like the Christmas pajamas and made sure that I ordered them online for delivery or pick up or drive up. The sense of anxiety that accompanies traveling into the stores and fielding the lines and crowds was removed. When I would do a run to the dollar section of Target, I was able to tip toe right over to customer service, pay and leave the store in peace. It was a reflective way of how I wanted to carry on the holiday season. With that we have a levelheaded mom and a happy three year old who is excited about Christmas. I’m really looking forward to the snowman cookies, you know the Pillsbury kind that you just put on the cookie sheet, stick in the oven and watch bake. Those will be for Santa, mommy and Aiden. Remember, low lift, no pressure.

I didn’t make it to Rockefeller Center yet, but it’ll be on my list of things to do probably the Monday of. If we don’t get to go, it’s OK. Taking the pressure out of the holiday season relieved me of the stress that typically is associated with trying to do everything and maintain all of these traditions that I’ve created in my head. The best thing that I can tell you is to do what works for you and be flexible as each season of each holiday each year goes by. Know that it is OK if you don’t make it or do the things that you did in the year prior and if you do, make sure you and your family have fun doing it!