Why do the holidays make some people stressed? We all have a mental picture of how we want Christmas to be. Christmas is meant to be a happy and joyful time. However, there are so many expectations that we or other people put on ourselves. I know that for me, the first week of December was when the stress started to hit me. We did not have a tree, there were no lights on the house, no decorations up, my shopping had only begun the week before and I still did not know if I was having company for Christmas.
Then I thought to myself… do lights on the house and a wreath on the door really matter? So, we got the tree up and for a few days it only stood there with lights. It was leaning, but it was beautiful! We all loved it. Then I was able to finally carve out an hour and trim the tree.
The Christmas cards have not been sent. I was able to get a photo of the kids together last year. This year may be a bit tricky. What if I don’t send Christmas cards? The world does not come to an end. I can always send them for Valentine’s Day or my favorite, St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone loved my Paddy’s Day cards last year.
I guess the best way to relieve the stress is to let go of the mental picture of what we think the holiday should be. This year and every year all I really want is to have a simple holiday, enjoying the sights and the sounds, the snow, little treasures, and time spent with my family. And that is my new mental picture.
KUDOS!!
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