The December List

Today is December first. This is the time I slow down, put aside unfinished project and prepare myself to enjoy the season.  

You may remember this post, mid-November, filled with long Christmas plans and to-do's. That, my friends was then and I did in fact get a fair amount of stuff done during the last three weeks. We are now fully into the Christmas season though (tomorrow being the first Sunday of Advent) and I am ready to enjoy, rather than do for the most part. Unfinished gifts and projects have been put away except for those relaxing things I work on because I can when I have time. Christmas decorating is finished, even if not everything has been put out. The Amazon shopping list is finished * and ready to go whenever I put that trusty I-click button. Generally, anything unfinished gift wise, decoration wise, shopping wise and even cleaning wise has been put to the side unless it is part of the regular routine.

For the rest of the month? Relaxing and fun stuff is mainly on my "to-do list" for the coming weeks:

1.  I've kept social commitments to a minimum, but I am still looking forward to two luncheons, a holiday afternoon tea, a holiday movie outing (to go and see the Clint Eastwood move) and a trip to the Christmas market with snacks afterward. I really am a less is more person when it comes to holiday socialization that is not family or church associated. 

2.  Bake. Bake the cookies in the other post. Remember, I love baking. Baking is my jam. I only do it at Christmas because I eat when I'm baking. But bake, bake, and bake some more. While listening to Christmas music and/or watching that adorable video on cable of all the Christmas puppies playing among the packages.

3. Make a "twelve gifts of Christmas" basket for each kid, to be opened between Christmas and the sixth of January. For the record, Christmas begins on Christmas day. Just sayin'. My kids have set a fifty dollar limit of gifts for Christmas max, and they expect me to hold to that as well. This is a way I can give them a couple extra things without "breaking the rules" or "making them feel bad". Their words not mine. I'll also probably take all three of us out for pedicures in Dallas. The boy thing is always harder, just as for stockings, but so far I have a small man cave sign, Zippo hand warmers, beer chillers and beer bottle stops, and the requisite very small gift cards and candy.

4. Spend a lot of evenings at home (with cookies and hot chocolate) snuggled on the couch watching Christmas movies, and programs. Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Love Actually, on the other hand? Very much not a Christmas movie. 

5. Do something with the family left behind. Normally we do New Year's Day as our belated little holiday time, but someone suggested having a Christmas wrapping and cookie party the day before we leave. One or the other, but  never at my house so no real planning, just enjoying.

6. Try to get my sister to come to Texas. Her business is closed between Christmas and New Years, so she would just need to take off three working days. Life would be crowded, and I would owe my son in law, as it would be seven dogs** and five adults (she and I would need to share a king sized bed for four days or sleep on the sofa), but a good time would be had by all.

7.  In the spirit of the holidays, do my quarterly physical volunteering gig this week. Our church is a family promise host, and I am the meals coordinator. For those who remember my previous weekly volunteering gigs, this is huge change for me. It's just four weeks a year, and as I coordinator I simply organize who is making what and drop by the church (a mile from me) for a couple hours each night to see what is going on.

Other than that? I plan to relax and enjoy the month until we head down south. Lots of chilling and family. Thinking on goals for 2019 now and then. And forcing myself to get as many steps in as often as I can. Because, well, Christmas cookies!!

* In theory, my Christmas shopping is done. Only someone shared this particular subscription box option with me a couple days ago. And since I have a family member who reads the classics and loves coffee, one or two  monthly gift boxes may be in order. Each box comes with a classic book, a specialty flavored coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) a snack of some sort, a mug and some book related thing like a bookmark. 

** My daughter has two dogs, but she also fosters. As of now she will have three fosters plus her own two on Christmas. Never mind the fact that I have one, and my sister has one. so we will have our own little dog park in the back yard!!