Cutting Christmas Corners
I love creating memories and making traditions in our family. As I've mentioned before, we have a TON of Christmas traditions. Kaleb the elf comes to visit. We make Thin Mints. I bake cracknuts. We over-think our cards. We string popcorn with cranberries and watch Elf more than we'd ever admit. ("I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite.")
To read all of that, you'd think that we're over-achievers on the Christmas celebration routine.
I don't think that's an accurate picture. There are lots of traditions that we skip. There are MANY things we say no to and places where we cut corners.
Here's a list of things that are perfectly lovely, wonderful things to do that we've either pruned or never started:
- Pictures with Santa (unless you count selfies!)
- Riding the Pink Pig (it's an Atlanta thing.)
- Outside Lights
- Using ALL of the decorations we own
- Writing personalized notes in our cards
- Evening Christmas parties
- Shopping in brick & mortar stores
- Cutting down our own tree at a farm
Most of these activities I don't miss at all.
Surprisingly, I anticipated missing the tree-cutting process. There's something about it that seemed a good idea. For me, the idea was better than the reality. We aren't opposed to swinging through Home Depot and buying a perfectly lovely tree for a great price. The kids have as much fun watching the cutting and "bailing" process as they'd ever have on a farm.
All in all, the expedition was maybe 30 minutes.
I have a friend who told me that at Christmas she and her family skip things that "don't bring us joy."
Another reminder to be the tortoise, not the hare!