Decking Them Halls, Y'Alls!

My holiday spirit, which heretofore has been AWOL, showed up in full force last weekend, thus proving that each and every last, little piece of me is a just a wee bit slow on the uptake.  But when it kicked in.  Woo Doggies!!!! Better late than never I guess.

I kicked off the season by putting up the Skeletree and lighting the outdoor lights. I put candles in all of my windows except for one.  There was one candle that I impaled my hand on and broke the bulb so I need to replace it. Lemme tell ya, that temporarily puts a twist in your tinsel! Those flickery-flame candle bulbs are made of the very, thinnest glass on the planet as it turns out.  It's very sharp. And makes you say very bad, and very un-Christmasy words. But I digress...

I finished making presents, and made Christmas treats. I wrapped gifts and packed boxes to mail to friends and family far away. I stuck a bow to the dog's head and the cat's tail and then sat back and giggled while they struggled to free themselves. Ah. Tradition!

Work has been holiday central too. There are team dinners, gift and cookie exchanges scheduled. This afternoon (this will post on Tuesday) I am hosting a party and ping pong tournament for 100+ employees to celebrate our new office. And yet I am determined to remain on keel.  I think I've finally figured out some ways to de-stress the holidays a bit! Stop the presses!

*My holiday shopping was done before Halloween. That is imperative for someone only 5'2" tall as far as I'm concerned. No crowds. No fuss. No muss. No risk of being folded, spindled and mutilated to death in a Target. No lines, no pushing no shoving. No nervous breakdowns.

*Me time. I'm finally figuring out that it's true what they say.  If you don't put on your own air mask, you can't help your seatmates put on theirs in the event of a plane crash. Although how air will help you as you are splattered over a half mile radius on the side of a mountain, I don't know, but that's a post for another day.

I'm a helper by nature. Oh, I know..a sarcastic, snarky...drag-me-kicking-and-screaming one, but a helper none-the-less. But I'm no good to anyone if I'm running on fumes, so this year I have picked my projects and planned my days so that I always have at least 30 minutes for myself at some point. Usually this takes the form of drawing before bedtime or at 5 AM before I get ready for work. It's my meditation time to just calm. to. heck. down. It's a bonus if  it can be constructive as well.  I made the ornaments for the garland (pic at top of post) for my office that way. Did it get done in one sitting? Nope. Took quite a few nights actually... but it got done...and that's the third thing.

*It doesn't all have to be done all at once or right this second. It will get done. It always gets done. Maybe if it CAN'T be done....it doesn't need doing. I'm finally learning to pace myself. 

* And perhaps the most important thing is that I am making a conscious effort not to care so much what people think. This is a big thing with me. I have always wanted everyone to be happy and play nice all the time. I've only kicked that football  over and over for 52 years...but I'm slowly but surely catching on. Actually, I really DON'T  need to care what people think...because they aren't thinking anything. They're looking at their phones!

So, I'm feeling a little smug this year as I watch my friends scurry and stress. I'm enjoying the decorations, music and friendship of the season without the hassle. I'm singing and swinging and getting all merry like Christmas up in here, Y'All!