Tag: Christmas

Deconstructing Christmas 

by Karen, posted in Holidays

It’s high time to start  

 deconstructing Christmas, but I am not motivated. I think I have too much stuff.

We have a real tree this year, which began dropping huge quantities of its needles as soon as we got it. We then tracked them into every nook and cranny of our home.

I’m afraid my husband was right. We’ll be finding pine needles well into the summer months…

What if I purge half before I pack it all back up? 

That feels like an inspired thought to me. 😊

Oh Christmas tree

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, Holidays, Marriage

Chrismas tree 2012Oh my God, what a big pile of crap Christmas has left in its wake. Wouldn’t it be great if those damned elves showed up after Christmas to help pick up the house instead of before Christmas to help demolish it?

I am usually a put-the-(fake -tree-up-the-weekend-before-Christmas-and-take-it-down-the-day-after kind of gal. This year, however, with the way Christmas fell on a Tuesday (stupid Christmas–no 3 day weekend this year), my work schedule, my husband’s work schedule, the kids’ school schedules…we didn’t get that tree up until late. My daughter requested that we leave it up until at least New Year’s Day to (over)compensate, and we agreed. Now I am second guessing this decision.

It’s making me anxious. You know, the way it’s standing over there against the wall, looking at me. Reproaching me for not taking it down on Wednesday. Here it is Friday, for Chrissakes, and it’s still here, not knowing what to do with itself. What, with the presents all unwrapped and strewn about the house.

“Give it a rest, already!” it seems to be saying.

Anyone else still have a tree keeping vigil?

Christmas Music and other minutiae

by Karen, posted in family, friends, Holidays, quest for the best, relationships

Since I’m feeling all Christmas-y at the moment, and since (more importantly) I have a huge leg up on my Christmas shopping (and wrapping) this year, I decided to write a little more about Christmas.  Here are some random thoughts:

  1. When I was wrapping up the gifts I’d bought so far this year, I had the presence of mind (for once) to get out the Christmas CD’s and play a little mood music. My favorite is the one that my son made for my husband for his birthday last year, “Alternative Christmas Songs“. Best. Christmas. CD. EVER. Consider breaking out your own Christmas music this year…you know, before Christmas is over.
  2. Nothing beats a cup of mulled cider while you’re wrapping, unless it’s a cup of hot chocolate with tons of whipped cream crammed into the cup. If it’s evening and you’re done driving for the day, consider putting a shot of Amaretto in your hot chocolate…yay!
  3. What to buy? For me, this year is (essentially) a Gift Card Christmas. Yep; I gave the issue of gifting enormous thought and then decided that most people want either a) money or b) the equivalent thereof. How do I know this? Scientific research. Everyone that I asked said they wanted either money or a gift card to (fill in the blank). Be honest. That’s what you really want too, right?
  4. FOR YOUR KIDS:  Apart from the gift card strategy, which I am applying to (almost) all of the people for whom I am shopping, I have a sort of a formula that I use for buying for my two kids. After all: gift cards under the tree, even if it’s several hundred dollars worth (note to husband: It’s not! It’s not!) doesn’t look very impressive or generate much excitement on Christmas morn. Here’s my basic formula for the kids: a book, a new set of pajama’s, a new outfit, a game (for Wii, Nintendo 3DS, or whatever they have). 
  5. I like to have one joint gift for the kids to open on Christmas Eve, sort of a family gift, like tickets to an event, or a game that everyone (hopefully) will like. 🙂

Also this year: I am trying to just use what I have already for gift bags and wrapping paper. I have a roll of pink Santa paper that I bought to wrap my daughter’s presents and blue Santa paper to (you guessed it!) wrap my son’s years ago. Using this eliminates the need for name tags.

Give yourself a break

by Karen, posted in family, friends, local fun, no fear

Is your birthday coming? Are you wondering what to get yourself for Christmas? Have a really good friend that  you want to appreciate?

Stacey Brooks from Mainely You Massage in North Berwick

Stacey at Mainely You Massage  is there to help you. Never had a massage? Don’t be scared. It will be both the fastest and the slowest hour you’ve ever experienced. You can just lie back (and you won’t even need to think of England!) and relax for the duration, with no demands made on you (except, you know, to turn over). Short on time? You can book a half an hour session instead of an hour; do what works for you.

Like a meditation the way it should be (but often isn’t because of the monkey thoughts that are ravaging your mind, increasing exponentially the more you try to quell them), you will probably notice that your thoughts are taking a very nice rest. One or two might meander to the surface of your consciousness, but they will most likely take the form of a non-urgent question to ask Stacey, nothing too distressing.

Of course, sometimes some unpleasant emotions can and should be released. If you feel the tears a-wellin’, just let ’em come. You will feel so much better after you let them go.

Massage might help you if:

  1. You are a cube-dweller by day, sitting for hours hunched over your keyboard, on your way to carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica.
  2. You are an athlete of some sort (runner, gym person who overdoes it, yoga practitioner or teacher with a misbehaving muscle or two) with some annoying aches and pains.
  3. You are on overload, too busy doing things that you should/must/have to do, most often for others (e.g. not for yourself).
  4. You suddenly realize that there are only 7 more shopping days until Christmas (How did this happen?)!      HINT: Mainely You Massage Gift Certificates are available now! Call Stacey!

Call to book your massage (or buy your last-minute gift certificates)!

Mainely You Massage

73 Elm Street, South Berwick, ME

Phone Number: 207.676.2263
Cell Phone Number 207.651.6277

Making a list

by Karen, posted in family, tweens
Back in 2007, when there was still one believer in the family

I’ve been working on my Christmas gift list recently, and I’ve warned the children that Christmas will be, um, leaner this year than in the past, so they should be prepared. I guess I kind of went a little overboard last year, and am trying not to repeat that this year, especially since the big guy in the red suit won’t be putting in an appearance. This year, we know.

I don’t know what kind of a reaction that I expected from them, but as so often happens, my kids surprised me.

“Oh, okay, Mom.” That was it, from both kids. I guess I expected some questions, at least, but no, they were fine with it. Moved right on.

I guess it’s just me then, feeling bad. This is our first personal “Year Without a Santa Claus”. Last year, right after the holiday my daughter approached me and uttered those words that every mother dreads (but every father welcomes):  “Mom, you and dad are Santa Claus, right?”

Sigh.

After I told her to go play and I’d get back to her, I furtively placed a call to my husband at work, relayed the devastating question, asking, “What do you think? She’s only ten! Should I tell her the truth?” and he said, “Of course! She’s ten! We should have told her years ago!”.

And right there, folks, is the difference between fathers and mothers (if I may be so bold as to apply our parental reactions to that of all parents).

I told her the truth.

She took it well. At the end, she said, “But the Easter Bunny, she’s real, right?”

🙂