Navigation

Manners Matter: Overloaded Around the Holidays

 

I’m already feeling panicked about getting ready for Christmas. I have a lot to do throughout the year, but the holidays fill up my calendar to the point of exhaustion. I want everything to be perfect for my husband, my kids and my co-workers (I also plan the annual holiday party at work). How do I keep from becoming a grouch, or a full-on Scrooge?

 

Signed,

Overloaded Mama

Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

 

 

Dear Overloaded Mama,

 

It seems that I get this question in one form or another every year. My advice remains the same – give yourself a break and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I know you want things to be perfect, but that’s not realistic. Just like it’s not realistic to be a perfect person the other 11 months out of the year.

Martha Stewart started all of this nonsense and now Pinterest is going in for the kill. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to be creative and if you want to make a wreath with berries and foliage dipped in gold leaf paint, then you should. And if you want to make biscuits from scratch and churn your own butter, then you should. And if you want to frost cookies and place edible seed pearls on them with a tweezer one by one for just the right look, then you should. However, if you won’t ever have an Etsy store in your lifetime, then don’t place unrealistic expectations on yourself.

Santa can’t get by without a list, so neither should you. Get your calendar out and your notepad and list out everything you need to get done. Then go back and see if there’s something that can get cut. Then go back to your list and add to it. That’s right…add to it. Add the important things such as visits with family, watching a silly movie with your kids instead of doing the laundry, pizza night with your neighbors so no one has to cook, and donating food and clothing to those who aren’t as blessed as you.

If you saw how many people Martha had on set before they starting rolling the video, you’d be less impressed.

 

Good luck,

Mary Pat

 

Article Comments