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?
No comments:
Post a Comment