A simple Christmas

This year is a no-fuss Christmas. It is in part on purpose - I wanted to keep things simple and stress-free with less focus on "stuff" (remember, I wrote about how I really want to make Christmas more about celebrating a baby being born and less about the other stuff? If you missed it, you can read it here) - and partly because of circumstances ... a busy work schedule, a torn up kitchen, "life" in general ...

If it wasn't done, it didn't need to get done was kind of how it went. My gifts are few (this was intentional) and all but one were bought online (which turned out to be a great time saver and even better, prevented the temptation to over-spend on impulse gifts). My baking was ... well, there was no baking this year. After months without an oven, the new one was finally installed but not until yesterday, so there are no snowflake cookies this year ... no homemade candy. The beautiful cards I bought will have to wait for another time ... and yet what I realized is that it is okay. In fact, it is more than okay ... it is perfect. I learned that I can step off the crazy-Christmas-rushing-around and everything will still be fine.

The peace I wanted to experience inside carried over to my decorations. I pulled the Christmas boxes down from the attic (oh, so many boxes ... so much "stuff"!) and then put them right back up again. Instead, I made tissue paper flowers and added a few papier-mâché ornaments I found at Marshalls while shopping for a wedding last month. I hung one (not the million I usually use) string of lights on the tree and sprinkled a few ornaments around. And you know what? I love it. It is just enough. 

I am looking forward to relaxing and spending time with my family this Christmas and I hope that whatever your plans are, and however you celebrate that you will experience joy and peace and wonder. And I also hope that if something doesn't get done like you had hoped or you run out of time or energy and you are stressing about that ... that you will be able to let it go and remember what is the most important thing ... the greatest gift ... a baby who came down from heaven.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” - Luke 2:8-12

Merry Christmas everyone!