A plan for Christmas

Given the stress of Thanksgiving and the situation in my family, I decided to make a plan for the Christmas holidays so as not to go through those feelings of "unwanted-ness".

I used my weight watcher list making technique. I made a list of "want to do's", "Need to do's" and "have to do's". It looks like this:

Want To Do:

1. Attend Midnight Mass Xmas eve
2. Visit with friends & family on Xmas day
3. Bake on Xmas eve
4. Have a relaxed meal both days
5. See Eeman play on Xmas eve
6. Have a nice dinner between Xmas eve services with the brilliant musicians mom. ( Her invite)
7. Sing all three services at church

Need to Do:

1. Exercise both days
2. Eat smartly early on both days
3. Shopping on Xmas eve
4. See a family member ( the one I am having difficulties with) on Xmas eve early or early on Xmas day

Have to Do:

1. See a family member ( the same one) on either day

Now you may wonder why "see a family member" is on the need to do and have to do list. Allow me to explain. this list is awesome tool. It shows in a very specific relief what the sense of urgency is on Need to do and Have to do.

So it's on both as it will depend what this person wants at that time. I have two slots that I have intentionally not filled so that I can arrange for one of them to go to this person. But I am not rearranging for them. I have a very specific time table all ready lined up for both days. I have some time before 4 on Christmas eve and I have time before 2 on Christmas day. That, of course, is assuming that my brother and this family member don't patch things up.

This is my absolute favorite season of the year. From Thanksgiving through New Years ( which I continue to find a bit of let down. ) I love to decorate my house, bake my favorite items, attend my holiday parties, See my friends for cocktails. I love the sights, the smells, the sound of voices raised to heaven... It's all important to me. And I'll be damned if someone else's issues will ruin it for me.

So I made my plans already. And though this is an unselfish time of year, I'm being a little bit selfish. I have to be though for two reasons: It's better for me from an emotionally stable point of view AND I am trying to make some traditions for myself. I always see Jenna on Christmas day night for cocktails. It's become a tradition for the past 3 years and it's really become a part of the holidays that I look forward to. I rush there from wherever I am so I can see my girls ad my boys before they fall asleep. This year the twins are REALLY talking and I CANNOT wait to see them and hear what they will say!

I already have 2 parties scheduled so I am being selective about everything else this year.

One is a secret Santa that I do with "the girls". Excuse me. The Goddesses. Jenna found the coolest website. http://www.elfster.com will set up your secret Santa for you and email the details to each participant. It was so cool, I set it up for my family secret Santa this year. It's working out really well. I love this website. I urge you to check it out and try it.

So I am now feeling settled for the Holidays and I am off and pricing out prelit trees for my house. I can't wait!