Obsessive Christmas Disorder 

Morning people!  How did you like my workout videos?  If you missed them, click on the FITness Videos tab or the link in pink.  Take a gander at some of the challenging workouts and give it a go.

Until then let’s chit chat like girlfriends about mental health and the holiday season.  Goodness,  I felt you cringe from here.  Relax, I’ll give you things to think about and maybe you can find PEACE this Christmas.

This is a post for the folks that feel extreme pressure to squeeze in every single Christmas tradition and activity in 25 days or less. OCD.  Obsessive Christmas Disorder and I totally had it. OCD can ruin your yuletide joy and interrupt your Christmas experience!

Have you ever seen the movie Christmas with the Crank’s?” Gosh is so stinking funny. Basically an empty nester couple makes a decision to boycott Christmas and set sail on a tropical Bahamian cruise.  (sounds lovely no?) To heck with the lights, the tree, the stockings, the tinsel, the cards, the parties and the pressure!

Any one else ever feel this way?  🙋🏼. I promise this is not a bah humbug Christmas extinguisher post.  I’m far from the Christmas warden but I do know how virtuous we working moms and dads are.  We vow to DO IT ALL…give the family the FULL regalea of Christmas! When in fact what we are really doing is running ourselves ragged. The American dream Christmas experience is saturated and commpletely out of control.  I want to give all of the hard-working parents of the world a FREE pass to enjoy a more simplified Christmas experience. A new mantra is born,  “FOCUS on the MANGER!”  No one is holding a knife to your throat to do all of the STUFF. Give yourself a BIG break. 

Girls, for over 15 years I was a Christmas card sending machine.  I had a full-fledged scientific assembly line and I was great at it. But, I also resembled an angry mean over worked factory worker.   I gotta tell you, I don’t miss it a single solitary second.  Call me lazy, call me cheap or call me Blah Hum Bug, because what I’m is  off the clock and RELAXED.  I’m focused on my family and the real meaning of CHRISTMAS…ADVENT!  JESUS is coming!

6 years ago, I was generally overly frazzled.   I wasn’t completely happy with the photo, the cost seemed unreasonable, social media craze added an odd frenzie to my “list” and no matter how hard I tried to keep the list updated, people move!!  So I pumped the brakes and quit! TOOTLES…I never looked back.  I chose the virtual alternative.  Yes, I still obsess about which photo to use and what darling creative slogan I can drum up. However, what took hours and hours and hours is condensed into a half hour and a click of a button. (Thank you Jesus for technology) I post on social media and send out an email. Unfortunately,  I’m off the list of many simply because I don’t reciprocate but girls, my PEACE of mind is so much more important. I absolutely LOVE receiving the beautiful thoughtful cards and I admire those of you who remain steadfast in your campaign for holiday cheer!

OHH Christmas tree, OH Christmas tree. Wow, the Christmas tree can cause some serious marital friction. (amen?) Why on earth do the husbands of the world act like it’s our fault that it’s CHRISTMAS?  Mr. Chicken  Fry is the worlds worse. Men freak out and temporarily turn into incredible hulk look alikes when you ask them to get out the tree?  They know your going to ask, they know it’s their job but yet they hold out and pout! No where in my marriage cliff notes was this a subject.  Listen up, because I have a solution that will bring you BOTH some peace and harmony but it may cost you.  If you have teenage boys, send them into action.  Time to train them for the future generations and for your future daughter in-laws!!!!  If not, find a neighbor kid who needs $10-$20 bucks to climb in your dusty over stuffed attic and pull that sucker down and erect it.   BOOM!  Girlfriends, come on, it’s almost 2017,  pre lit is the ONLY way to go.

 

Now if you only buy fresh trees, YOU are on your own.  I have no idea what kind of squabbles this may infuse. Like, whose job is it to water the tree or string the lights? Who manages the never-ending fall out of the pine needles?  I’m a total kill joy on real trees but more power to those of you who’s marriages are solid enought to brave it!  I CAN’T even go there with my Mr. Chicken Fry.

If lighting your house up like Clark Griswald tickles you pink, then by all means light it up, up, up!  But guys and dolls, if stringing the lights up, stresses you out, causes you physical and or mental anguish then STOP doing it.  No one is going to kill you. The Christmas police might post a scrooge sign in your yard but other than that your fine. It’s okay to go dark if your peace of mind is a glow!  I hate to say it, because I adore lights but it is perfectly acceptable to let your Christmas tree be the only decoration on display.  I bright glow of the lights is so pretty and I’m so thankful to all of the people who do it and or pay to have it done.

The Gifts. Does the gift buying stress you out and stretch your wallet thin? If so, focus on  just the kids. One present each is plenty.   Your aunt June and uncle Bob will live if you tell them your going to do a family  gift exchange and designate a budget. Yet a better idea that is less stressful is to pool the money and donating to a needy family!  Perhaps spend some of the money on “catering” so everyone can relax!  #Idontcook  #simplify

Mandatory Christmas Activities

Make Jesus the reason for the season.  Make HIS presence the PRESENT. Do an advent calendar or tree and count down the birth of Jesus. I suggest Ann Voscamp’s book,  “The Greatest Gift“

Attend a Christmas Eve candle light church service The Branch Church

GIVE – give to someone or something. Make A Wish Or give to your local Church The Branch Church

Santa Clause – Go to Bass Pro Shops and let the kids sit on Santa’s lap and get photographed for FREE.

Ride around and enjoy Christmas lights.  Main street in Grapevine, Texas is awesome.  The Gaylord Hotel has fun FREE picture opportunities and plenty of lights to see.  Check with your local Chamber of Commerce or town hall for activities and events in your town.

 

Most of all, Merry Christmas and give yourself a break  It’s ok to enjoy the month and take in the scenery!   

Love, LOVE and PEACE

Angi xo