. Make a List for Next Year, Then Relax

I hate to discourage you, but for the most part there is little time during the “holiday” weeks to keep working on any “non-seasonal” outstanding projects.  There will simply not be time nor energy to focus, let alone have much of a chance of being alone as children get out of school, company begins to arrive, or your spouse has several days off work.

How do you deal with the unfinished list of things you were going to do before you concentrated on the holidays?  The one that hasn’t gotten much shorter in the last weeks?  Retitle it!  Yes, put it aside with a new title:  Things to do once the holidays are over.  Add items as you think of them, but don’t worry too much about them.  If it can possibly wait to be done, then let it wait.

It is more important now to focus on getting your holiday projects in control,  your shopping done, and your presents wrapped.  Most importantly, it is time to enjoy the holiday yourself.  Remember, all your family is checking out your mood to determine their mood.  I know it isn’t quite fair, but that is how it is.  Any family would rather a happy, calm, somewhat composed homemaker who is enjoying the holidays than a stressed-out, “un-nice” anybody in their home.   It is time to slow down, do what you can in the remaining days, and let the rest go.

One year I was sick for a whole week during holiday preparations.  Well, that year I wasn’t going to get it all done.  I lost seven precious days.  So?  Well, I had to skip this, and forget that, and smile and make the best of it.  You can, too.  Another year you can start earlier, plan better, not get sick, and things will be more “perfect”, but this year, enjoy what few days you have left before the big day.  Merry pre-Christmas!

Find more helpful ideas in “House of Order” Handbook.