Merry Christmas to me!
I went through a small stack of mail the other day and sat down and paid my bills. “Why wouldn’t you?” you’re probably thinking.
It’s December; I’m usually in such a frenzy that I don’t take the time to go through the mail. Right before Thanksgiving until after New Year’s, I totally forget that I’m a responsible American who pays bills. Not only that, but most of my bills are delivered via email and I still totally miss the memo.
One of the objections I’ve always had about the holidays is that on top of everything I have to do to get ready for them, I still need to take care of daily household tasks. The laundry still needs to get done, grocery shopping for normal food (aside from holiday meals) has to be purchased, dinner needs to be made, appointments still need to be made, and yes, bills still need to get paid.
It’s not like I head into December with the intention of forgetting my bills, it’s just what seems to happen. Come January, I’m fielding late reminders. For some reason, this year, I am very together.
I’m not sure what my mindset has been these past years, but this year I’m rather calm over the whole ordeal. I had a weird epiphany when I was reviewing my list of tasks before Thanksgiving. There was that initial overwhelmed feeling of, “I have way too much to do,” that suddenly morphed into, “Well, Thanksgiving is almost here and this whole group of tasks will be complete in just a couple days.”
Things don’t need to get done until they need to get done. I don’t have to have the grandmas’ presents finished until Christmas day; businesses with whom I work to get these presents finished are open right up until Christmas day. Although I prefer to get things wrapped up (no pun intended) way before Christmas Eve, I’m quite at my leisure at this moment.
The reality is, the event will happen whether we’re ready for it or not. I suppose how well it happens is the question, but that idea comes from motherly minds thinking that everything must always be perfect. What’s perfect? It’s the times that don’t work out that flame most of our laughable stories of Christmases past. I came to a place where I’m feeling like, “It is what it is and it will all work out in the end.”
We don’t have a long Christmas shopping list. I buy for our kids, but I learned long ago that my husband didn’t know his siblings well enough to buy them gifts, so early in our marriage we started making almond roca for them. Soon it became a great gift for teachers and family friends (you get almond roca, you get almond roca and you get almond roca). We aren’t welcome at family gatherings unless we have the almond roca.
My husband and I came to the conclusion many years ago that because we get exactly what we want all year around, there’s no sense in buying each other gifts. Sometimes one of us will find something practical our spouse wouldn’t just go buy for themselves (a new pair of Crocks slippers last year because his old ones were scary), or impractical because it’s fun and unnecessary.
Grandmothers like gifts that have to do with their grandchildren (drawings, photos), my sister is a minimalist and would prefer not to get anything at all if she doesn’t need it (almond roca for you).
So here I am, Dec. 8 and my bills are paid. I’m quite at my leisure. Merry Christmas to me!
