Christmas Past

The decorations are gone. It's over and the end of the Christmas seasons and end of the Christmas season, ready for a new beginning and an appropriate time for reflection. I really did a lot of changing about the entire Christmas Holiday. We bought less, made more, did new projects, had fun with the kids, decorated differently. First time things for us were doing our Elf on the Shelf Activity, our Advent Calendar,

baking and decorating cookies, making treats for the neighbors, attending our town's Christmas walk, creating a Daily December book and hosting a gingerbread decorating party. We did more activities such as outings, baking, crafting, than I have ever did but I had less stress. How does that work? I refused to let myself get all worked up about it. I truly enjoyed it for the first time in years.

I didn't dread it at all. I can't even think of one thing that I hated which has not been true for me in the past. I don't feel we skimped on gifts even though we definitely bought less, the kids had plenty and aren't so overwhelmed by new toys,

I don't feel our recipients felt jilted because they received homemade items.

Actually the only thing that I wish I could change was to have given more homemade gifts but there's only so much time for Mindy "Last Minute" Murray to create! Last year at this time I was so overwhelmed by the holiday even though it was already over. We received WAY TOO MANY gifts that I didn't know what to do with, spent WAY TOO MUCH money on gifts, had a lot of stress about last minute shopping and preparing as well as dread that I knew this holiday would be here again before we knew it.

I feel 360 degrees differently this time around so the biggest change could be my attitude about Christmas and I have a feeling that my love of Christmas Past will carry on for Christmas Future.

I hope your holiday season was just as lovely as mine filled with fun, family, and love.