With my sister visiting, we’ve been in a few stores this week and it’s obvious the holidays are coming. While not yet in its usual overwhelming presence, evidence is popping up everywhere. Thanksgiving turkeys are sharing display space with elaborate Christmas ornaments, dishes and linens, holiday cards and wrappings, and my mailbox is overrun with holiday catalogs trying to entice me to choose their wares.
Thanksgiving is unusually late this year as the fourth Thursday falls on the 28th, making Christmas three and a half weeks later. As someone who particularly likes the holiday of Thanksgiving, I don’t want it to get lost in the Christmas frenzy. My plan to save Thanksgiving is to be organized with regard to Christmas.
- Before November 1, I will make a list of lucky people who are on my gift list, as well as ideas for presents. I will not get caught up in the material trappings and will keep to my budget. I WILL WRAP EACH GIFT AS IT IS PURCHASED.
- I will purchase and address my holidays cards early. Although it seems we receive less and less cards each year, I still love finding those greetings in my mailbox and will continue to send them as long as I can.
- In early November, I will pull out my Christmas trimmings and check for anything that needs attention. Even though I do less holiday decorating these days, I still enjoy creating a festive atmosphere. My turkeys will make an appearance in early November and the Santas will come out the day after Thanksgiving.
- The first week in November, I will start planning our holiday menus and organizing the recipes. I will shop ahead for the staples, simplifying my time in the grocery starting Thanksgiving week through the New Year.
- I will put aside my obsessive nature, not worry about perfection and practice enjoying every fun, noisy, delicious and messy moment of time with friends and family.
C’est la vie.
Camp Grandma 