“We know the world tells you to do more, be more, and hustle more, not to mention the pressures of being successful measured in terms of how busy you are. But what we’re learning is that living in busyness without the balance of fun only leads you down the path of burnout. With that comes exhaustion, frustration, poor decisions and lack of joy.”
— Nourished Planner
There is no month like December for the pressure to hustle more, do more, give more, be more. Which is probably why everyone is always so stressed out all month long.
This is just a reminder to ourselves that we’re drawing our own target this season (remember THAT post?) and we don’t have to be busy for the sake of being busy, or jolly for the sake of being jolly, or do anything that detracts rather than adds.
The world may be telling us to do more, but we don’t have to listen.
P.S. This is the first year in … well, since I was in college, probably … that I’m not feeling the Christmas card / annual Walker Family Christmas Form Letter. So I’m not going to do one. It’s pretty freeing, knowing that the world isn’t going to end because we take a year off.
Minimally 
I didn’t do the “family letter” this year either – just wrote notes in cards. We got a new internet provider and printer this year and now my devices won’t communicate with the printer. I can’t be bothered trying to figure it out. So over technology.
I don’t bake or do a lot of decorating . I am a hermit so decline most invitations – only the ones I WANT to attend.
Fortunately my kids are all grown so they have taken over much of the work – we go to THEIR places for various celebrations. I am not one of those Mums who feels she needs to do it all.
I just try to focus on the real reason for CHRISTmas.
BTW I thought of you last week when our power went out for a whole day – after the post I wrote for you about storm prep guess who forgot to fill the bathtub with water (had to keep melting buckets of snow on the woodstove) and charge her cellphone. That first storm always catches me unaware!
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Ha ha! Well, it happens, being caught unawares. That was a rather excellent post on preparedness incidentally.
I was at vigil Mass last night and it occurred to me that we need to have an Advent wreath. I crave light at this time of year, and that would be such a nice way to count down to Christmas. Making a note in my 2019 planner so next December I remember this genius plan.
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It was transformative for me a few years ago when I realized that we are currently in the Advent season, not the Christmas season. We are in the season of preparing, of getting ready — not the season of joy. So I can rush around and feel hurried and it doesn’t take away from Christmas. And since I know this isn’t really Christmas, I don’t feel badly that I am not enjoying myself “the way I should.” We celebrate during Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the week or so after Christmas. We even leave our tree up.
I don’t know if it’s giving myself permission to feel busy, but I don’t *feel* the overwhelm as badly since I realized that there’s a difference between preparing for Christmas and enjoying it.
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Oh my gosh, I love that! That’s exactly the perspective I need! I’m writing this down in my journal so I remember for next year …
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