My Holly Jolly Survival Guide
Guys. I am so excited for this post. About a month ago, a reader of Coffee With Keri reached out to me and asked if we could get coffee. She recently started her own blog and wanted to ask some questions and learn more about what goes on behind-the-scenes. Of courses I said yes!
And I’m so glad I did. Bekah and I immediately started chatting like we’ve known each other forever; and in a way, I guess we have since we have so many mutual friends yet apparently never met before that night? Welcome to Delaware. The idea of guest writing for each other’s blogs came up and we both immediately were ecstatic. If you haven’t already checked it out, I wrote a post for her blog, Hope for the Hot Mess, this week. You can check it out here. Head on over there once you read her guide below, subscribe, and join the Bekah fan club, because she’s awesome and I’m so glad she reached out and now we’re friends!
Now without further ado, check out Bekah’s ultimate Holly Jolly Survival Guide (because yes, Christmas is here and I, for one, am absolutely ECSTATIC).
Holly Jolly Survival Guide:
Tips To Not Be The Grinch, And Maybe Even Find Joy This Season
I’m not sure who’s decorating early and who’s keeping their pumpkins out a little while longer, but I feel like I’m definitely having an internal war with myself this time of year. I usually have a very strict rule that I don’t even listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving butttt……I kind of joined a band and were doing a Christmas show in early December, SO I had to start listening early. And let me tell you, ya girl is STRUGGLING.
For those of you who read my blog, 1. THANK YOU and 2. you already know that I feel ever so strongly about the season of fall and all the festivities and I literally never want it to end. As much as I love October and all things autumn (which is a LOT), I also love Christmas. I mean, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Please tell me you all sang that in your head. I know I did). I for one, never get tired of “Peace on Earth” or “Good Will Toward Men” and neither. should. you.
I think this particular time of year is a little extra stressful, because we all want to get ahead of the game. As soon as Thanksgiving comes around (with all the cooking and decorating associated) it’s a jam-packed month of Christmas festivities, exams, decorating, the shopping for perfect gifts, and dare I say it, THE WRAPPING. UGH. There’s so much to do, that we are constantly trying to catch up and I-don’t-know, have peace and joy at the same time. I honestly don’t think there’s a less peaceful time of the year, and that is a crime, I tell you! A crime!
I am no expert, but I have compiled a list of 5 tips that may help you to actually enjoy the season we’re in and not spend it going broke and hiding under a pile of wrapping paper (or is that just me?)
1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.
Or in my own words “Don’t be a complete psychopath about the details.” I am so guilty of this one. SO guilty. Okay so there’s this video on YouTube appropriately named COMPANY IS COMING (here’s the link). If you’re anything like me, you can relate. We love to entertain, but sometimes I can go a little overboard.
Story time.
On Halloween, we had invited my family and a few friends over to hand out candy, since nobody else lives in a neighborhood with kids. I ended up inviting about 10 people and wasn't sure how many would come, so naturally I made enough food to feed an army and had it cooking all day in the crockpot because I was working. Yes. I was throwing a party THAT I WOULD NOT BE ATTENDING. My poor husband. I was up late the night before setting up everything and cleaning every surface of our house, like a psychopath. He literally forced me to go to bed. The next morning, I was compulsively making lists so that he wouldn’t forget anything. I’m the worst and he’s a saint. So, my mom came over and helped him set up and everything was fine. There was way too much food but oh well. I called my husband on my way home and basically overloaded him with questions.
“Who showed up?”
“How did the food turn out?”
“Is everyone eating?”
“Do you have music on?”
“How many kids are trick-or-treating?”
“Was everything pretty much ready to go?”
“Did I prep enough?”
And he patiently answered all my questions, and when I started questioning why everyone had camped outside when I had set up everything inside, he calmly asked, “Doesn’t it matter that everyone is having a good time?”
Ouch. He was right. That’s actually all that matters. My family was together, they were handing out candy to kids, they had way too much food, and they were happy. I was too busy worrying about details that nobody was interested in, and didn’t even ask if anyone was enjoying themselves.
If something is missed or doesn’t get done, don’t sweat it. Nobody else cares, and you shouldn’t either.
So, moral of the story, if you’re hosting something, remember what actually matters. It’s not about your house looking and smelling like a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece. It’s about the love and joy that dwells in the hearts of those you love most.
Don’t be a psychopath. Just don’t do it.
2. Start Early.
I have been doing this for years. 1. because I’m poor and I need sales and 2. because it makes life way easier when December rolls around.
I like to start casually Christmas shopping in August. It’s usually when the end of summer sales are in full swing and you can save a ton, PLUS you can start a Christmas “pile” or bin, if you’re really organized, and add to it as you find things your friends or family might like. I usually just lay things out in my spare room in stacks by recipient, so I know what I have for each person before I really get into Christmas shopping. It also helps to be able to wrap earlier and get that over with before the season is in full swing. The best part is you can spread the expense over several months instead of racking up tons of Christmas expenses in one or two months.
3. Black Friday.
Go ahead and judge me, but I go Black Friday shopping. Disclaimer: I do not go to Walmart, that is just craziness. My family and I like to head down to the outlets in Rehoboth, and knock out a ton of shopping in one day. They have amazing deals, and we can all pick out stuff we like, or find great bargains on things we know our friends love. For the last few years, I have only needed to get 5 or so things after Black Friday to complete my Christmas shopping, and its a breeze, because the week after is Cyber Week, so I can grab the rest of it online and I’m done.
4. Set a budget.
I don’t know a single person who likes to limit gift-giving, but it is a necessary evil. Not everyone can afford the same amount every year, so be reasonable. After all, Christmas is about more than just gifts. It’s about peace and hope and joy, but more importantly, we’re celebrating the greatest gift we’ve ever received: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus doesn’t care how much you spend, and neither should your family. The point is to share the holiday with those you love. Since my immediate family has grown by two husbands this year, and we typically spend our Christmas morning with my grandmother and sometimes a few other extended family members, it can get a little crowded with all the gifts for everyone. It also takes a lot of time to open a lot of gifts, and I personally would rather spend that time having breakfast with my family, rather than spending hours opening gifts.
5. Make a Christmas “Happiness” list.
If you’re lost on this one, reading The Seasonal Shake-up will fill you in. Think about the things that you love most about the holiday season. Activities you just love, the feelings you have when you go to a certain place, traditions that warm your heart. Write down a list of these things and pencil them in your calendar. Make time to do the things that make the season special for you.
For me, it’s not Christmas unless I put up my Christmas tree listening to Clint Black’s Looking for Christmas album. It’s old and cheesy, but it’s what my dad always played when we decorated our tree and it doesn’t feel right without it. And I love to make myself a cup of tea in the evening, turn out the lights, curl up with a blanket and look at my Christmas tree twinkling in the dark. Sometimes I just rest in the peace and quiet, sometimes I pray, and sometimes I just think of how grateful I am to have the life that I have. There’s something about the lights on a Christmas tree that just puts everything into perspective. These are a few of the things that are on my list, but maybe caroling or driving around looking at lights is what feels like Christmas to you. Whatever it is, write it down, and make time for it. It makes all the difference in the world.
There you have it, folks. My top 5 tips for staying on top of the holidays. My prayer for you is that you enjoy this season for what it is, a joyful time to celebrate the gift of Jesus’ birth with those we love. A time to think of others before ourselves, and to be the hands and feet of Christ for those who need it most. And to spread a little Christmas cheer “by singing loud for all to hear”.
“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, good will toward men!”
Luke 2:10-14