Hmmm - this is a challenging one. I mean, this is coming from a 'moms club' alumni of sorts who in the past 8 or perhaps 9 weeks have moved from CA to NV, living back with mom and dad and my 2 kids, traveled to NY for 4 weeks, returned to NV for 1, now with my in laws for 1 and back to NV for 1, then back in NY for another month---which is 'THE' Christmas month! Where do I begin? (and I didn't even share the move from OR to CA for heaven's sake!)
Honestly, I don't really stress out too bad, and when I do - I wish I could just get out and run it all out! But since that does not happen with a 5&1/2 year old telling me constantly how much she loves high school musical, singing so many tunes, or analyzing our day...(hmm, i wonder where she gets that from) and my almost 2 year old competing with his sister in volume and showmanship 'MOM! Watch THIS MOM WATCH THIS!!!!' Well - there's no time to RUN! Although come to think of it, in NV - I have been making a point of going to swim at least 1 or 2 times a week. We also stick to Library Runs that are followed by some Christmas errands here or there...I also try to include the kids in the 'wrapping' or gift making of things (for example: for the 3 new babies born into our extended familyh - we decorated onesies with fabric ink and the kids relaly loved that! we got the task of gift giving/making done and doing a fun activity w/ the kids all at once!
So - I try to be as much as a 'planner' as possible. Stretching things out on a list (of many) on a calendar...for example - I think this is the earliest time of the year that I have already: 1) baked 5 different batches of cookie dough, it's ready in the freezer to be baked another day 2) I also attempted black friday shopping but limited it to 'target' and the neighboring stores around it which were michael's, nordstrom rack, and pier one...with a quick treat at Krispy Cream soon after! and my 'list' of shopping is DONE! If I can really stick to this - I will have avoided 'over spending', 'over eating' (i hope - of cookies), and now just have the GINGERBREAD House to do! I can't wait!!! (if anyone needs the recipe from last year's extravaganza just ask:)
I'm not sure this answers the ? of sanity savers. But I do often take time to breathe, think about what it is we are celebrating for Christmas and try to think - what have I done today to 'enjoy' this special time...and this may sound corny - but lately the kids and I have very much enjoyed A very Charlie Brown Christmas on TV and I'm looking forward to Rudolph and Frosty too! Thanks to Peggy - we do have the Christmas Carol station on MOST of the time (especially in the car, if H.S. Musical wasn't already requested before I even being to MOVE my car)!
So - if that helps at all - this is how I get through this time and actually enjoy it. I think of those less fortunate than us, those without a home, no family, no one to even think about to share a gift with or afford to buy for...again somewhat cheesy of me to write, but very real. Looking forward to reading other women's thoughts! I have to get to bed!
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One thing that has saved my sanity in the past few years, in regards to Christmas, is that we have really shortened the list of people to exchange gifts with. Over the years good friends and I have exchanged gifts on Christmas. But as the years have gone by and everyone is having more and more kids this gets harder. Almost all of my friends and I have agreed to only buy for the kids now and they are small gifts.
I also have 3 sisters and we used to all buy for each other and our kids. First we started picking couples names and buying a gift for them, but a few years ago we decided to just buy for the kids. Soon after that we started picking names, (ie. I have 3 kids in the house, I pick 3 kids to buy for etc.)and we have a money limit on the gift. I was thrilled last night to get a call from my husbands side of the family deciding that they wanted to do the same thing!! This is especially good because I don't see those kids very much and have no idea what to get them and I also have a brother and sister in law that have various amounts of children in the house (they are foster parents) so I'm always confused what to do with that situation.
I really like these changes because I find that all the kids had gotten mountains of gifts. They don't even know who gave it to them, they are overwhelmed. Everyone gets stressed about what to buy for who etc. and it all seems so meaningless!!
It is hard to teach a child about the meaning of Christmas when they see you in a shopping frenzy, getting stressed out about what to buy for who and how much to spend etc.
Good luck everyone!
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