Over and over I'm hearing women bemoan that they don't have their Christmas decorations up yet.
Maybe they're feeling pressed to get-it-done-already.
Maybe they've decided to go easy on decorating, but still feel guilty over it.
Maybe they worry what their kids will say about fewer decorations.
Maybe they feel wasteful to have decorations that will sit unused this year.
Maybe they're convinced they're letting someone down, or somehow betraying the Christmas spirit to not decorate All The Things.
And this is joyous?
Why do so many women have to make excuses to themselves when they back off just a smidgeon from the hype?
I want so badly to yell from the rooftops, "Just forget it all. Go to church. If all you do for Christmas is go to church, it's still a good Christmas."
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"I want so badly to yell from the rooftops. . ."
ReplyDeleteI think you just did. If not from the rooftop, at least from the blogtop. ;-)
And it's weird. I have had those years where I pressured myself and felt that way. This year we are getting ready to move right after Christmas and you'd think I'd be stressed about that, but I'm not. I feel more relaxed than I have in a long time. Other than the tree I have decorated hardly at all and I don't care and neither, it seems, does anyone else. Weighed against so many other things, it just doesn't seem that important. Maybe I'm finally getting my priorities in order!
I agree. I am SO looking forward to church at Redeemer this Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't feeling particularly cheerful about doing our Christmas decorations this year, but my kids were, so they did them for the most part. That worked out nicely! :)
We have a lot of family coming in to town in the coming week and a half, and it's starting to hit me that, while it's absolutely wonderful, it's also a lot of work to be hostess. I decided to simplify meals so that I don't spend the entire time in the kitchen. For example, today I bought--are you ready for this--premade muffins from the bakery at Costco. GASP! Big, beautiful, loaded, premade muffins. Dozens of them. And I don't feel guilty about not making them from scratch. I'm hard boiling dozens of eggs, too, and every morning, I'll do a "continental breakfast" like hotels and will set out the big bowl of eggs, the muffins (cut in half since they're giant), oranges, apples, bananas, and coffee. Boom. Easy. No cooking involved. Very little clean-up. Maybe I'll get to enjoy my guests instead of washing a gazillion dishes.
Beautiful plan, Meghan!
ReplyDeleteAnd Chery, you have SO much to do right now, I'm glad you've downsized the celebration of secular-Christmas. Real-Christmas and moving is probably quite enough on your plate. And I'm glad your mom is doing better.
I don't like putting my decorations up. Not at all. But not having them up feels sad and empty and depressing. So l feel pressure to put them up even though I do not like the task of it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that is where these women are as well.