I hope you were able to spend at least a little bit with your family, doing traditional family things. Whether it included traditional foods, heading out shopping together on Black Friday (or the new 'Gray Thursday, as I call it). Or sitting around watching football. Or some headed out for the beginning of hunting season. Or decorating the house for Christmas.
So many things going on at this time of year. Each thing taking up our time. We continue to put in our time at work, plus add all the other extras. We eat too much, we sleep too little, we overdo our lives in so many ways at this time of year.
This year let's try to keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts. We get stressed trying to do it all for our kids, our families, our co-workers, and ourselves. There does come a time when we need to step back and just enjoy.
So, what if you don't get ALL the Christmas decorations up that you normally do. What if you miss just one(or more) of the many Christmas parties you used to attend. What if you don't spend the same or more money this year as last year. Does it really matter?
Now, if for some reason it DOES matter, than those are the things you should be attending to. If you can think about it and realize that it will be o.k. to do less this year, then do less.
Many of us have gone through rough times this year. The economy has affected us, emergencies have taken our savings, loosing a job has taken it's toll. Give yourself permission to do less.
Often when we do less, we are doing more. Instead of spending money, we spend time. We stay home with family. We make gifts instead of buying them. We teach our kids and grandkids to make things. We remember the homemade things we made as kids or our grandparents made for us.
Yes, doing less. I sit here writing this with my tree not up yet, the house not decorated, the gifts not all bought or even made. I'm o.k. with that. (Tree may go up today, the rest of the house won't be getting done this year. Not like it used to.) I'm giving myself permission this year to do less. I'll admit it is a bit stressful in not doing it all, but I'll get over it. I have so much other stuff going on I have to decide what HAS to be done and what can be done and what can be omitted this year.
And so, I leave you now with thoughts of Christmas memories, time to come up with money saving ideas, time saving schedules, and ideas for home made gifts. And don't forget ---- quilts or other quilted or sewn items make great homemade gifts. And if you can't make them, you know someone how has them for sale..... Quilter's Pantry!
I'll be back later this week with tips to save money and save time.
Til next time -- keep those needles stitching.
Phyllis
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