Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Less is More Christmas/December Bucket List

I adore Christmas. Some people do, some people don't, some people are .......eh...... about the season. I adore Christmas (and Advent). There, I said it (again).

Part of the love is because of the birth of Christ and the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Obviously, If you read the blog, you know that about me. But part of it is the food, the cookies, the gift process, the crafts, seeing the lights, the movies, and about ten other things, including the shopping on occasion. And the cookies. 

There is absolutely  nothing wrong with enjoying any of the above, enjoying such things does not ruin the season, nor does it  make me (or you) consumerist, not considerate of Christmas or anything else. It's perfect fine to enjoy everyone of those things. Along with a little Christmas sangria here and there-or at least eggnog. And more cookies.

In moderation. At least for me.

For me,  Christmas is best relaxed rather than frenzied and I don't go whole hog on  much of anything. Other than the cookies. And eggnog. I'm not into the "a Christmas party every weekend" thing.  Even being in charge of two social groups, my calendar is completely free from the 19 th of December  until January first. I have two day time parties with moderate option gift giving, and no evening occasions. I don't participate in a huge family Christmas gathering these days. We are eight at the table in Denver and four at the table in Dallas, depending where I am. I enjoy the gift giving process, including the making stuff in part. But most of my gifts are moderate, there is no pressure and if something doesn't get made or bought, it is not the end of the world. And I'm happy with wrapping said presents in newspaper, fabric, or just leaving them open under the tree-if I cannot con someone else into the wrapping process. 




 I've never been into the stuff some others have. My work environment was in an office of four with a management office of four, so I've really never been to a work Christmas party from hell. At one time we had a family grouping of 14 in Dallas, but Christmas was a group effort; again, with moderate gifts. And I seemingly have less "Christmas junk" than I thought, as I am now searching for at least one more piece for my Christmas village this year, and  almost nothing left to pass onto the kids except their ornaments.

I suspect there will be more than one post on the holidays or holiday events here in December. Some about baking, some about crafting, some about decorating.  And in fairness, probably one about the reason for the season. Who knows?  




But just so you know that I am not totally Christmas obsessed (or maybe I am), below is my short list of Christmas to dos  and Christmas things to enjoy, as they appear on my notebook today:

  • Go to two small group parties for my retired gals group and my knitting group-both during the day.(already scheduled)
  • Take a two hour evening bus trip to see the downtown lights, (already scheduled)
  •  Enjoy a slow walk around my small local botanic gardens to see their lights, and then drive the greater neighborhood looking for lights.
  • Plan to watch A Christmas Story, Die Hard, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas and National Lampoon's Christmas and Ben Hur  at home, and to see Knives Out and Star Wars in the theater. Yep, I am that person.
  • Make three different Christmas play lists and listen to them-a bunch. At home, alone, while singing to the dogs.
  • Make about fourteen dozen cookies-and eat more than my share- and then do some other baking for gifts (regular readers know this is not work for me, especially as I now sit at my high top table doing all the work instead of standing). I love making cookies, and candy, and fudge and...
  • Go to all the church events (Sunday services and advent happy hours, Christmas eve services and a caroling and chocolate night)
  • Decorate an already put together gingerbread house........... if I get around to it.
  • Craft the blanket above in red, blue and off white/beige for my brother and sister in law  (mainly done) and use the leftover napkin  fabrics to make a pile of coaster sets for my knitting group pals (about fourteen). Do that tiny tree quilt.  Other crafting will be nice, and fun, but not a Christmas thing as such.
  • Find a couple Christmas novels that are crafting related that I have yet to read (are there even any?)
  • Arrange for the two experience gifts I am giving (glass blowing ornaments and high tea at the Brown Palace-both of which will happen AFTER Christmas). One is a must (the tea) the other is a maybe (the glass blowing)
  • Order the rest of my gifts in one large order (all of which are needed and requested items) and then let the wrapping genies in my family do their work (I can ruin a wrapped package without trying).
  • Commit to staying off the streets and in the house every single weekend except for Sunday mornings and the day I return from seeing my daughter's graduation.....Oh, and
  • Drive down to Dallas, go to my daughters graduation and take her to dinner and drive back.
Note that none of this involves evening parties, mall shopping or much shopping in general, and that most of the things mentioned are meant to be done at home-either at the table, or sitting with my feet up and a drink or cup of hot chocolate. Because that is my kind of Christmas.



25 comments:

  1. Fourteen dozen cookies! Yowza! Enjoy your Christmas season -- sounds like you have lots of fun things planned!

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    1. It's the only time of the year I bake...the rest of the time I buy no matter the occasion.

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  2. I love this post! What a great and grand holiday plan with time for just enjoying the season!

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  3. Your plans sound lovely and just right for you. Enjoy!

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  4. After reading a blog with people who don't enjoy the season, it's a pleasure to read this. Cookies, yes, lots of cookies. And lights and decorations and singing carols at church--all wonderful things IMO. We quit doing a big Christmas dinner thing a long time ago. One of our favorite Christmas evenings was getting dinner at Jack in the Box after a movie. The high tea and glass blowing sound like fantastic gifts.

    Sheila

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    1. My motherboard enjoyment in having enough people that he can cook.a giant prime rib. And if he's gonna cook it we are gonna eat it. Lol.

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  5. You've definitely got lots on your plate (no pun intended) but it all sounds like fun. I do enjoy the lead up to Christmas, the decorating and baking, buying and wrapping gifts, and the lights and music. BTW, gift bags are a god send if you don't care to wrap. Anything that isn't square goes into one. :)

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    1. Same here. Although I am trying to be more sustainable by reusing bags and seeing my own.

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  6. Wow, you've got a lot of interesting things lined up. Enjoy your holiday season! I wish I could find a bus right around the city to see the lights!

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    1. Something I just discovered called senior rtd rides. Who knew?

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  7. Lovely plans Barb. I also love this time of year.

    God bless.

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  8. I share quite a few things that are on your list. The High Tea gift sounds like a winner to me. This week I bought a Downton Abbey Christmas CD and am playing it. For me Christmas can be a joyful time being with family, friends and celebrating God's gift to us of sending us Jesus.

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  9. This time of year is a delightful slowing down time for me, a time out of time where I celebrate the dark quieter time of year. While still having fun times! But not to excess. I have a couple of pot lucks with girlfriend groups and one family gathering (very small..) and another Christmas/birthday party for a friend. I love to bake so I make cookies for friends and ourselves. We don’t do much gift giving anymore.. though our son mentioned his UGG slippers wore out and so I am getting him a new pair for a surprise.. and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are about going out to a movie, time together atTop golf and a casual meal at home. Our family usually hike on Christmas day. There are no grandkids or extended family nearby that we hang out with so it’s a quieter but very loving time..and I use this time of year to go deeper into spirit ...

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    1. Good for you. I an trying some advent meditations as well as my daily prayer.

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  10. I love your list and especially that it does not involve a shopping mall! Our decor is extremely minimal. I have a lighted garland over the fireplace, a wreath on the door with two little lighted trees on either side. I'm giving away my big tree and some other decorations as I've chosen to simplify my life more and more each year. Like you, I will be baking lots of cookies to give as gifts. Merry Christmas!

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    1. No shopping malls. But then I've turned completely online so it's not that I dont shop...

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  11. Christmas is my favorite. You get together with family, see plenty of friends . . . and the gifts are fun too!

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  12. Wonderful post, Barb! May you enjoy every single plan that you have made!

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Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from others, and I also love to hear all points of view.. Just leave the profanity and insults at home, OK? Thanks!!