In the blink of an eye, the Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukah holiday season is upon us again. It’s hard to believe we’re already at this time of the year, where the days get shorter and the stress gets longer. This time of year feels especially different. With family circumstances, I’m in a very different place when all I had to worry about was creating a balloon arch for my daughter’s birthday party. That’s why I’m sharing what I’m giving and what I’m giving up to make this holiday season the best that it can be.
What I’m Giving
1. Thanks: First of all, I’m ever so grateful for friends and family to rely on and to celebrate with this time of year. I am also incredibly grateful for my fabulous clients, who have entrusted me to make their visions a reality.
2. Myself in Person: Instead of engaging in endless text messages and likes on social media, I’ve giving my time to be with the people who mean the most to me and making plans to savor the little moments in between. That means, making plans for in-person get togethers, which were extremely difficult to do in the last two years.
3. Creative Inspiration: In the spirit of Saint Nick and Creativity is Everything (my new trademark), I’m giving others creative inspiration in the form of Christmas cards, wreaths, treats and other custom designed products.
What I’m Giving Up
1. Complacency: Life is way too short to spend time doing things that don’t bring you joy. Yes, Marie Kondo, I’m taking a page from your book and letting go of things that leave me feeling “meh.”
2. Gluttony: While having a limit on the gingerbread cookies I could eat might do me good, what I really need to cut back on is doing anything in excess. That means having more boundaries on my time and doing less shopping, less spending, less decorating, and yes, less hangovers from too many Christmas parties too. Less is more.
3. Being Perfect: Even though there may be many weeks to the holiday season, the time is really limited. I can’t be everywhere at all times or have the house cleaned perfectly all the time. Sometimes, I can’t be the perfect mom, daughter, sister, friend, and that’s okay with me.
Declaring my intentions and letting go of these expectations for the holidays, already feels freeing. While I’m giving up my role as the “designer,” who goes out of her way to make a client happy, to becoming the “client.” That means putting myself first and knowing my boundaries. Of course, my halls will be decked this year but I know that I don’t need it to be December to have a reason to put my lights up, share memories of seasons past, and celebrate the ones you’re with while you can. Life is short.