As I write this, it is December 1st.Light snow flurries are falling outside.  Steaming coffee, in one of the snowman mugs I always pull out this time of year, sits dutifully by my side.

Before me?

A notebook.

It’s list-making time.

For gifts?

Nah.  That list was done ages ago.  Gifts have all been purchased.  I’m one of those “get ‘er done before December 1st” types of people.  Are those gifts wrapped?

(Add to list: purchase wrapping paper)

I’m not a fan of the “hustle and bustle” of the holidays.  I don’t enjoy making a mad dash towards Christmas, only to reach the actual day exhausted and fatigued, having missed the deeper experience.  Christmas Day shouldn’t feel like the finish line. Two years ago, disappointed with watching Christmas Day pass me by, I decided to adopt a different approach to the season.  In order to alleviate the chaos of the season that seemed to swirl around us like a blizzard arriving in full force on Thanksgiving and hanging on through Christmas Day, I chose to fight back.

Fight, as in, my snow boots were on like Donkey Kong.

Two years later, I’m still sticking to my new plan.

So if the gifts are purchased (albeit, not wrapped), and I’m refusing to participate in the seasonal frenzy that occurs this time of year, what do I need with lists?  The obvious reason is that “to do” lists actually assist with organization and productivity.

That’s boring.

I find that my “Christmas To Do List” winds up showing me what I DON’T need to prepare, purchase, attend, or do.  Often, upon reviewing a list I’ve just written, the second glance reveals how ridiculously long it is.

My list screams back at me to SIMPLIFY.

Enter, the red pen.

Here are a few things that have been crossed off my Christmas “to do” list:

  • Christmas cards or photo cards:  I estimated that postage alone would cost me close to $100.  That’s what happens when you’ve lived in several places AND have a Pastor for a husband.  That means a lot of people.  Sure I’m working at becoming a reformed Thank You Note Writer, but the Christmas cards have been fired.  I’ve got 14 mouths to feed over the holidays.  You may disagree, but we’re all about the electronic New Year’s letter now.  Don’t get me started on paper waste, and what happens to all those beautiful family photos that get sent out.  I know you’ll eventually throw out our photo – it’s ok – admit it.  Thus, I’m not mailing one.  No hard feelings.
  • A perfectly holidayized house:  I use the same decorative items every year.  If you were to visit, you would find a variety of nativity sets – the kids play with them – and a full Broadway company of snowmen.  I purchase one new snowman every year, and a new ornament for the kids, but that’s it.  What we have, we have.  What we don’t have, we don’t need, unless I find a killer item at Goodwill.
  • Gifts over $2.00 for teachers, the mailman, and the dog sitter:  I don’t ignore these folks, I just don’t have the funds to buy for everyone in order to thank them for a job well done.  Instead we hold a tradition of purchasing bulk ornaments every year which aren’t faith-specific, say, snowflakes, and share these with a note.  I clinched 48 ornaments for under $30 this year.  So, if you are one of those people I just mentioned (as I know at least two of you read this), surprise!  They are beautiful!
  • Party, party, party:  This time of year offers up so many parties, outings, festivals, concerts, etc.  I am very selective with my RSVP’s.  Not in an “I’m too good for you” type of way, but rather, an “I really just want to stay home with my family” type of way.  This year, I am actually co-hosting a party for our church staff.  I brought the party to me.  Clever, huh?

Here are a few things that will remain on my Christmas “to do” list:

  • Nightly Advent Devotions: We regularly read together at night, but during December we use a daily Advent devotion to prepare for Christ’s arrival.  Following this, the children get to open one of the doors on their Advent boxes, revealing small gifts. My daughter, who will be 10 next month, read our devotion tonight, and upon reaching the activity portion (which actually had us all trying to balance books on our heads – I’ll explain another time) exclaimed enthusiastically, “I LOVE THIS STUFF!”  Alrighty then.
  • Great food: My sister and I did a BANG UP job on Thanksgiving this year.  We work really well together.  She and her family are coming for Christmas, and between the two of us, we’ll get the menu all set without a sweat.  I will be visiting the Strip for my antipasto meats and cheeses, and I am currently making a list of cookies I’d love to bake:  Chocolate-Espresso cookies, and this lovely creation, being two of the varieties you’ll find on my table. Dunk.
  • Christmas television: You’ll find me lifting my ban on TV during the week during the month of December, IF, homework, reading, and instrument practice have been completed.  Believe you me, for some Rudolph, things get done pretty fast around here.  It’s good to keep a list of which Christmas shows are being shown when, for one never knowns when it will come in handy – for instance, when one is struggling to finish homework, or clean their room, I am not ashamed to admit that I draw the Christmas Special card.
  • The absence of “But I have to”, and it’s evil twin, Obligation: Recently a friend shared that she had purchased a gift for me.  I responded with something like, “What!  I wasn’t planning on getting you anything!” She responded with something like “I wasn’t expecting you to, only I saw this and just HAD to get it for you. You’ll understand.”  It was delivered to my door today via her blonde elf of a daughter, and yes, indeed, it screamed ME. Do I now feel the stressful need to reciprocate?  Nope.  If I happen upon something that screams HER?  I will.  But a gift is only truly a gift when nothing is expected in return.  Thankfully, she gets this.  Oh, and I even called to thank her RIGHT AWAY!  There is hope for me.So now that I’ve whittled my list down, what have I left to do?

Weave the garland around the banister, finish my menu and gather ingredients, prepare the gift ornaments, straighten the house for my sis and her family and wrap those gifts.

And oh!  Right!  Revel in the joy on my children’s faces and savor the time with my family as Christmas arrives.

I’m not missing it.  And I sincerely hope you don’t either.

Check your list.

And then, do what I don’t know how to do with these posts that I write every week.