Monday, December 10, 2007

Merry Christmas



How is everyone doing on projects and presents? I don't think we're doing too badly I at least have an idea for everyone if not the gift. I am however far beyond the projects! I hate stressing out at Christmas but its beyond our control this year. My husband's command decided this was a great time to make the guys work 92 hour weeks. That's 6am-8pm every day for three weeks. And by everyday i mean weekends too my husband has had just 1 day off in three weeks. So on top of my usually responsibilities I have all of his. See? Stress! Then add Christmas activities (decorating, shopping, cooking, wrapping) and we have a ripe case of stress!

What can I change?

Next year set up an automatic Christmas savings account.
$25 every check will be deposited. That's not much at the time but by Christmas it will be close to $600.

Continue to by Christmas presents year round as I find them.
I did shop year round this year and it helped but I want to do so more aggressively.

Start projects earlier!
I would really love to bake some cookies in summer to freeze for Christmas time.

What can I fix right now?

Take things one step at a time.
A counter of dishes tends to over whelm me. But If i squeeze in a sink full here and there it doesn't seem like such a huge problem. The dishes get done and my stress stays down. Wrapping a present here and there is not as mentally draining as wrapping a spare room loaded with presents.

Play with the dogs frequently.
That seems counter productive doesn't it? But my puppies need exercise. If they get one big playing session they don't work as much, they play far harder when they get to rest between play sessions. Which means they are more tired, less likely to get into trouble, and less likely to be in my face all day. Besides I've found that playing with them is good for me too. I relax and the fresh air tends to erase headaches.

Realize that I am not super woman.
If I push myself till I am stressed, exhausted, and cranky what good am I to anyone? I'm human just like everyone else and some times I have to let things slide. I could spend all evening cleaning, or I could sit and spend time with the husband I haven't seen all day.

Make time for things that are important.
Wednesday instead of whipping through things that need to be done I'm taking the day off to go decorate the Christmas tree with my mom. We do it together every year and the thought of doing it without me made both of us cry. This year we did not manage our annual Christmas craft fair but that did not break our hearts. Decorating the tree apart does, so it is a priority. To me Christmas is about memories, traditions and family. It is not about how clean my floors are. Every year my husband and I drive to a U-Cut Christmas tree farm. We hike all over the huge fields looking for the perfect tree, freezing our bums off the whole time. Last year the patch was far away from the office, my husband hauled the tree over his shoulder. We LOVE it. As soon as he gets some time off during the day you can bet we will be strapping a Christmas tree to the roof of our 4 door car! Incidentally its much cheaper then 'fresh' tree lots and you can see the whole tree you don't find a big bald spot when you unwrap it.

One of the things I love about frugality is it encourages you to let go of everyone else's expectations for your life and focus on things that are important to you. Why shouldn't I use that focus in my life as well as my finances?

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