Merry Christmas!
By this time, some of you are scrambling to get last minute gifts and tie up loose ends at work before the big day. That’s what I’m doing 🙂 Sickness hit our house hard last week (me and all 3 kids) and put me out for a few days. I’m thankful that we are finally feeling back to ourselves. Its left me with a lot to do in a little piece of time though! I’m going to do the best I can and just let the rest go.
I love Christmas. Above is a picture of my family, many years ago! I’m the girl in the tutu 🙂 I have many wonderful childhood memories of Christmas as a child (and home videos to match them!). I’m not going to lie, presents were probably my favorite part of Christmas. Ripping apart the paper to find that wedding Barbie I had been dreaming about for months…
Its interesting how perspective changes as we become adults. It really does become less about the presents and more about our time with each other. And in the hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget to stop and recognize the “gifts” surrounding us. Especially in hosting, focus tends to hover over “all that needs to be done” instead of taking joy in being with those we love.
So this week, I don’t have an organizing tip for you. But I do have a few Christmas tips for you. First, take time to slow down and recognize the gifts in each moment. Subtle or obvious as they are, soak them all in. Secondly, let go of minor details that don’t matter. Fretting over petty details is the worst type of joy killer. And finally, be yourself. Being with those family members who you don’t see but a few times a year can be a little awkward sometimes. But we are the most enjoyable (to others and ourselves) when we are simple being “us.”
As a family, we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth and gift of His love everyday. However, this time of year the birth story stays ever on my mind. Because I’m a mother, I can’t help but ponder Mary and all her thought processes as they traveled from room to room while she was IN LABOR! I highly doubt she was calmly seated on the donkey. But I can imagine that when she held that child in her arms for the first time, everything around her just disappeared. What remained was love and family.
May your Christmas be filled with the most wonderful blessings this year as you enjoy time with those you love. And don’t forget to look for those “gifts” in each moment.
MelissaGet Organized. Simply Live.