Memory Maker ~ Tradition Shaker

I frequently share with my husband that I feel like December is my proverbial;

Accountant's TAX SEASON

Movie Producer's OPENING NIGHT

Landscaper's HEAT WAVE

Retailer's BLACK FRIDAY

 

You get it. It is CRUNCH time for Moms, Mother's, People Makers,

 Home Management HOTTIES.

Winter holiday plans can be a 10 on the 'stress O' meter' for the like of us.

 

 

 

So, I am watching this holiday movie the other day.

Something occurred to me that had not before....

THAT IS A SET

Yes, the place upon which carols were sung, and cider sipped was a

HOLLYWOOD SET made by professionals...

 

 

It was perfect in every way. Holiday perfect...

 I realized that had been in my head for years. I realized that I had put these warm and

 family functional scenes that entered my head as

THE END ALL

 

 

I n.e.v.e.r. had one single holiday that looked like that in real life.

Well, not in my formative years, after I married,

I did have days the resembled those perfect moments .. .

 

 

 

 

 

Before I married. I would look into other families houses from the outside and marvel at what seemed to be such a flurry of activity and light and happiness from the inside of the house.

 

I would walk by them and plan.

 

I was going to do that with my family.

 

I was going to

 

be

 

PERFECT

 

 

 

 

Marc and I's first Christmas we set up a thousand TRADITIONS.

We wanted to start things out 'right' and face forward and never relent from our

IDEALS

 

Well, it has been 17 years and we successfully do these things every year:

 

Go for a drive and choose our favorite decorated house and leave

 them an anonymous note with treats.

Give thank you gifts to the mailman, the garbage truck, teachers, and bus drivers

Homemade presents exchange for each other

Make an homemade ornament

Choose your own ornament from the store (Which collection you will receive when you move away)

Sprinkle 'raindeer' dust on the sidewalk on Christmas Eve...

Read the Christmas Story

Marc sings 'Silent Night' on Christmas Eve

Everyone opens up homemade Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve to wear that night

Kids wake up with a new Christmas blanket Christmas morning

We make Strawberry waffles with ICE CREAM in the morning

 

Well, you get the drift...

 

It is . . .

 

well

 

beautiful

 

and

 

EXHAUSTING

 

So, I keep doing e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. EVERY YEAR...Exhaustion IS my gift to them.

__________________________________________________________________________

 

 

You see.... I want my children to have sweet memories

I want to give them what I never had

 

WHAT I REALIZED

 

IS

 

OBVIOUS

 

...to you as the reader

I am sure at this point...

 

 

 

I am fairly decent at cutting through the rubbish and getting to what is important.

 

In fact, I lecture on this exact principle every season in different church groups.

 

The presentation is called 'RIDING THE CHRISTMAS WAVE'

a PowerPoint focused on simplifying

 

What I have finally discovered is that I am STILL taking stuff I always needed and putting it all

 on a set of children that have never experienced a deficit in anyway in this category

 

except that....

 

BY THE TIME

 

CHRISTMAS DAY IS HERE

 

I AM SO THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED

 

I AM NOT EMOTIONALLY, OR MENTALLY AVAILABLE

TO ANYONE, EVEN....MY OWN WORN OUT SELF...

 

 

 

so

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why would I do that to my own kids?

 

Exhaust and wear out their own mother...

 

The SOURCE of

 

kids

 

COMFORT AND JOY.

 

MOMMY and DADDY

 

It is just a guess

but I am thinking

 

They will remember US

 

and

 

What it felt like to be in our home and celebrate

 

HIM

 

more

 

than

 

THIS LADY

 

 

Family

 

IN TACT

 

AND WHOLE

 

AND PEACE FILLED