Perfection

Three days until Christmas. Wow the holiday season has flown by! And I am so thankful that it has been so much fun this year. My strategy of staying positive and having a Merry Christmas has worked thus far! I followed my advice and completed everything I listed in my last post. I am telling you people – it works!

I am also contributing to my success, the fact that I have been able to ultimately avoid those I like to call “Debbie Downers.” You know the type. Dashing through the snow, in a suped-up SUV, to the malls they go, complaining endlessly! Geesh! These people amaze me! This is the time of year to focus on all we have and to be thankful for our blessings. There are so many people in the world that are less fortunate. I don’t think having too many holiday parties or having too many gifts to buy should qualify as a plight! Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? Yeah, it really stinks having a ton of loved ones to spend quality time with. And man do I hate being fortunate enough to be able to buy gifts for them all! Now how stupid is that when you really think about it??

But these “Debs” just keep on finding things to harp about. “The stores are crowded.” “I have soooo much baking left.” “The kids are driving me crazy.” “Ugh, more snow?!?” It is official. These statements totally piss me off. Sorry for the harsh language, but seriously, what are you complaining about? Thoughtful giving, yummy, sweet-smelling cookies, happy little children, and a blanket of snowfall – yup, sounds hellish!!! NOT!

So just to clarify. You’re upset that your kids are joyous and excited? At Christmas, no less? I know kids tend to get hyper and bouncy this time of year, but isn’t that a good thing? I mean that precious stage, when they believe in all the magic and still love the family get togethers, doesn’t last very long. We should enjoy it. No we should revel in it damn it! Parents, let us not forget that, before you know it, your little Billy or Suzy will be 16 and want absolutely nothing to do with you. So encourage your children’s emotions and soak up the memories.

And I can’t even go there about the snow anymore. A WHITE CHRISTMAS. Hmmm….I think that is what most would consider idyllic, no? There is even a famous song about it. You know, just in case you haven’t had Oldies 103 on constant rotation for the last 2 months. Christmas in New England, I couldn’t ask for more. Who wants to decorate with a Santa in Bermuda shorts and a surf board? (Sorry to all my friends and family in warm climates, but I just couldn’t do it!) Playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, and cuddling by the tree under three blankets – that’s Christmas!!

Oh “Darling Debbies” – you annoy me on so many levels. But your crowning achievement definitely comes in the idea that you have to achieve a “perfect Christmas.” Like if you can’t find a Zhu Zhu pet, or you didn’t’ get those designer stockings you wanted to hang, Christmas will be ruined! I think you need a little perspective on what a “perfect” Christmas really is.

Perfection is in the little things. It is the smaller, more memorable moments in life. Not in how well you decorated the house, how the ham tasted, or how many much you saved on the blue ray player. So what’s important then? What makes a Christmas perfect?

For me, it’s the look on my niece’s face when she sees snow. The feel of my nephews hugging me after I help them wrap presents they picked out for their mom. The smell of my sister’s kitchen as she cooks us all Christmas breakfast. It’s the sound of my husband belly laughing when I dance around the house to Christmas carols. And it’s the feeling I get every time I write out a gift label to my parents. Who, for my whole life, made sure I had plenty. These are the moments that make it special. If you focus on these, your Christmas will achieve true perfection.

"You know...Santa Claus, and ho ho ho, and mistletoe, and presents to pretty girls!" - Lucy

Happy Holidays readers!

I am ecstatic because it is my favorite time of the year, Christmastime. Who doesn't love Christmastime? Ok, all you Bah-Humbugers can exit stage left, because I have decided that this year I will not let anyone or anything kill my spirit. It never fails, every year I try to stay happy and positive, and every year stress and negativity penetrate my happy place. Well not this year! I have devised a plan of what I should do and what I should NOT do, in order to keep my yuletide gay, and make my 2009 Christmas special and memorable. Feel free to adopt this list for yourselves if it applies.

#1 - Avoid the malls at all costs. The mall is evil. It is the complete antithesis of the Christmas ideal. Rushing around looking for some sold out item, while dodging dirty looks and frantic shoppers. How does this help generate and pass on the spirit of the season? Buying meaningless gifts and stalking your neighbor over a parking space is not what the holiday should be about. Not my idea of Christmas cheer. Abstaining from the mall definitely makes the number one spot on my list.

#2 - Have Christmas carols on constant rotation. I don't know about all of you, but the classic versions of Christmas music always makes me nostalgic for my childhood Christmases. And when I think of Christmas as a child, it brings an automatic smile to my face. Now I know everyone has their particular taste, but Jonas Brothers singing some plastic pop version of Oh Holy Night should not qualify. It has to be Andy Williams, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Judy Garland. You get the idea - the Time Life Treasury of Christmas, if you will. Don't laugh, it was a very good investment. It always boosts my holiday cheer.

#3 - Sit by the tree whilst drinking hot cocoa and watch the following holiday movies AT LEAST once before Christmas Day: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Nothing like old-school claymation and animation to get you all warm and fuzzy. Oh that is a good point: fuzzy. Definitely wear some fuzzy socks while completing #3.

#4 - Buy gifts that have meaning. Now I know this is probably the hardest one for most people, but I mean it. Don't just settle and buy the video game or generic sweater. Really take the time to think about what the person would want and appreciate. Something that they will remember. Not something they'll just add to the pile, then stuff in a closet, and then totally forget about by February. Parents, instill the real spirit of giving in your children. Teach them to be thoughtful. Trust me, they will appreciate it when they are grown. And they will cherish the memories of how it feels to give and receive thoughtful gifts.

#5 - Decorate with things passed down through family. Forget these new expensive LED, laser, projection, space ship-type decorations that seem to be all the rage. Technology is fun, don't get me wrong, but it can be cold and impersonal. Decorate with pieces that trigger happy holiday memories. Do you know what my favorite decoration is? An old ornament that was my Nana's. As a kid I called it "Nuns in a Barrel." It's a silly little thing, a tuna can covered in felt with a little choir of Nuns glued inside. Random, I know, but it was hers. And every time I take it out, I remember her letting me put it on her tree when I was young. So I love it more than anything. My grandmother has since passed, but this one, tiny ornament brings her back so vividly. To me, it's priceless.

#6 - Donate to Toys for Tots. Or donate to a similar organization. When my nephews were little, I would take them to the toy store at Christmastime and have them each pick out a toy they liked. Then I would bring them to the local fire station and have them donate it to Toys for Tots. I plan on continuing this act with my own children one day. Teaching our children about giving to those less fortunate is the prime example of what Christmas should really be about.

#7 - Continue a childhood tradition. Even if you are an adult and do not have children. Pick something from your childhood holiday routine and do it. Maybe it's making a strand of construction paper rings of red and green that you hang, removing one ring per day as it approaches the 25th. Maybe it is visiting with Santa and having your picture taken. Or maybe it's attending midnight Mass. Mine happens to be listening to the entire album of A Chipmunk Christmas while baking cookies. Alvin always still wants a hula hoop, and I always smile because he does. Trust me, doing something that you did when you were little, even if it is silly, will always make your Christmas special.

#8 - Visit with family. I know. I have heard all the jokes about dealing with family, and in-laws, and stress and not enough time, yatta yatta, yatta. But nothing....nothing, makes it feel like Christmas more than when you spend time with your family. Throw a party for your relatives. Visit an aunt or uncle you haven't seen in a while. Invite all of your cousins over for dinner. Eat, drink, and be merry. But do it together. Make the effort. The holidays are not quite the same without your loved ones.

#9 - Bake and decorate Christmas cookies! Even if you are not the best baker, buy the easy sugar cookies and focus on the decorating. There is just something about the activity itself. The smell of the cookies baking, and the fun of trying to skillfully decorate them, is a good time for both children and adults. And as a bonus - now you have something homemade to leave for Santa!

and last, but not least...

#10 - Be sure to tell your loved ones just how much you care about them. Life can fly by sometimes. And we are all so busy working, going to school, taking care of our children, our homes, and all the rest, that we often forget to stop and tell each other how we feel. So find some mistletoe and tell your significant other that you love them. Buy a holiday card for your Mom and write to her just how much she means to you. Call your sisters and brothers and wish them a happy and healthy holiday season. Kiss your kids goodnight and tuck them in with care. The more love you give, the more you will feel in return. And isn't that what we all want for Christmas?