Can you feel it? That chill in the air, the sunset coming a little earlier each day, the beautiful leaves falling from the branches they've called home all summer long...and oh yeah...the major anxiety because you haven't gotten your kids Halloween costumes yet, you know you'll be up until midnight making cupcakes for their school party, you just heard your husband's family might be coming into town for Thanksgiving and every store you walk into already has their Christmas decor out which makes it clear to you that you haven't even thought about Christmas shopping, or Santa, or who is hosting the Holiday dinner.....Fa La La La La.....

Yep-we're coming up on what in my life is the MOST stressful time of the year. In my family what I've labeled as "birthday season" also starts in October and continues through Feb so on top of the holidays I am bombarded with not only my children's birthday parties, but also extended family members birthdays and let us not forget the tons of kids party invitations in my children's backpacks each week. I'm getting tense just talking about all of this!

So this year I'm going to change things up a bit and I'll tell some of what I'm planning to do in hopes it will spark some ideas about simplifying the Holidays for you and your family too.

First, I'm going to mentally and emotionally let go of the image in my mind and in my heart of the old fashioned Southern Christmas that I grew up with and accept the fact that times have changed and that there can still be traditions that mean a lot to my family, but they may not include biscuits and desserts made from scratch! I'm going to utilize all of the wonderful resources close to me including pre-made veggie trays, fresh baked bread from the bakery (not my oven), etc. I'll still have all of the same delicious food we always have, but the process of how it gets to the table will be much more simplified and streamlined.

Secondly, I've always been "that person" who starts shopping for Christmas presents in June, however, the problem with that is that when I'm done, I don't stop shopping. I'll see something that "Aunt so and so would just love and I know I already have something for her but...". This leads to extra gift to wrap, and possibly ship out, etc. So this year I have a FIRM line drawn through each person that I have a gift for already and so far I've been good about not making additional purchases. This is a double benefit in that it will make less work for me plus force me to spend less on the holidays in general.

A third change I'm making this year is to inform all of our extended family that we will not be rushing around in the snow this year to be at their houses by a certain time, that I want to take the entire morning into the early afternoon at HOME with my family. I refuse to yell at my poor kids this year to hurry up and get dressed and put down that toy that Santa just brought you because we are late-we have to get to Grandma's house ASAP!!

So, I am hoping these small changes lead to a greatly reduced stress load over the holidays this year and I also wish you and your family a calm, peaceful, and happy holiday~