Me... STRESSED?

 "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year..." well, it's supposed to be right? Ahhh the dreams of the perfect Christmas....house beautifully decorated with only handcrafted ornaments that you found all the instructions to on Pinterest, fireplace glowing in the background because it causes no allergies in your family, Tree placed just right with decorations perfect all the way round it, presents wrapped in matching paper with those extra special bows right off the cover of Better Homes and Gardens or Southern Living holiday edition....just typing it all out was enough to make the old familiar knot come back up in the pit of my stomach....

Let's face it, we do want those things, but in our very normal existance there is just not enough hours in the day to make it all happen and happen perfectly...at least not at my house.

For some reason, in the last few years at least, the holidays make me feel so overwhelmed and just stressed out of my mind...and the truth is that starting around Thanksgiving I would rather hide in my bed until New Years'....now before you throw me under the bus for the worst Mom out there award....I don't hide in my bed and the kids and sweetie all have wonderful gifts galore, a fabulous meal and (at least in my opionion) a house decorated so fine it should be on the front of everyone's Christmas cards for the next year. But, what price do I pay and my family pay for that? I have realized....a lot.

I don't think I am alone in these feelings. From what I have read and what I have heard from some of my friends many of you feel the same "want to hide til New Years has come and gone" feeling.....I am determined that this year will be different. I want a holiday that is less stressful, more relaxing, that makes memories that will last my kids when I am gone. Who's with me?

Well how are we going to accomplish this? One thing I have determined already is that I am going to simplify...you know what, nobody is putting my tree decorations on the front of Hallmark next year, so why am I agonizing over if everything is perfectly balanced and matching? Does that make Christmas more Holy? Uh, No...so I am letting it go this year. I have all matching Victorian themed ornaments for my tree, and while they are lovely and were oh so expensive, when we decorate all you hear is, "not there" "no" "don't"...and then I hear a lot of long sighs from myself and from my husband....leading to a tense atmosphere...so this year, I am taking my kids shopping for the ornaments of their choice and letting them decorate how they chose....this is not easy for me, but just the thought of it brings sighs of relief....

What about gifts you ask? There too the answer is simplify....how many hoodies does one kid need anyway? and Barbies, how many of those can you play with at one time....usually they all end up naked and in the tub at bathtime, and I am paying what for each doll? No more of that....she is getting some Barbie items, but seriously, what of last years gifts has your child actually played with in the last 6 months? I have found that my little one is just as excited over 3-5 gifts as she is over 25 gifts....she is also excited to see others receive gifts....so maybe I am doing something right after all....

The dreaded Christmas dinner.....now I love all the food at the holidays, but they are not doing a taping from my kitchen for my own Food Network show....I am not the next great chef...so again, why stress over it? I do cook really good food, or so I hear.....but I don't have to cook every single thing. Here though I am blessed, my sweetie and my kids love to be in the kitchen so they are a huge help for the meal....

My challenge to my readers this week....Where can you simplify your holiday crazies?

Do you have any tips for those of us who get so overwelmed with the whole process....if so leave it in the comments so we can all benefit....

Thanks for reading...more to come on how I am handling the holidays in later posts,

Regina