Tag Archives: santa

Jesus is the reason Ornaments

Christmas Busyness VS. the Reason for the Season

Christmas is upon us ! For the life of me, I don’t understand how time flies by so quickly. We all lead very busy lives. Sometimes I wonder why we over commit ourselves, after all, many times, we decide what goes on our schedule. I think in part, as a woman (and a perfectionist), I’m expected to do it all … a.k.a. SuperMom. The Holidays seem to add even more commitments to our already busy days.

I love lists, as you probably know, they help me stay organized. During the year, I have many various kinds of lists … personal, household and business to-do lists. Some lists are seasonal, gardening – camping – raking – and, of course, Christmas. My Holiday to-do list is always long.

I always want the Currier and Ives feeling for my home. You know, where the loving family is gathered around a beautifully decorated tree sitting in front of a warm, cozy fire in the hearth. The well-behaved children are eating warm from the oven cookies while listening to Dad read the Christmas story, patiently waiting to open the perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree. In my dreams …

It’s totally unrealistic, I know, but in my perfectionist mind, I disappoint myself by not getting it all done. Will the world end if I don’t bake 10 varieties of cookies or the gifts don’t have matching bows?? Of course not … I know I make my own busyness (I write the lists), but I truly want to be able to slow down and enjoy the Holidays. I need to learn how to simplify my preparations. I want to concentrate on what this holiday is all about … not all the commercialism and Santa Claus.

Jesus is the reason for the season. Christmas is about the gift of love, not things. It’s about spending time with family … and if you know of someone who doesn’t have family near, adopt them into your family 🙂 It’s about celebrating traditions and reminiscing with loved ones and friends. It’s about making new memories. It’s about being grateful for all you’ve been blessed with. It’s a time for blessing others. It’s about enjoying the simple things …                                

I want to wish you and yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

 

Pita Christmas Trees Appetizer

Tracy Helps You’s Tips for Holiday Parties

December is here and with it comes numerous invitations to Holiday parties and get-togethers. I attended one last night and have another tonight, and it’s only the beginning.

Santa Hats

Santa Hats … Fun Christmas Dessert

It’s always so much fun to spend time together with friends and indulge in delicious foods. There is usually a buffet table loaded with quite a variety of appetizers, desserts and drinks … that’s probably where you’ll find most of the guests 🙂

Which brings me to my tip for Holiday Parties … I always ask if I can bring something. Many of these parties are actually annual celebrations for various groups I belong to, like my bowling league, small group or choir. We have a Christmas party every year and all bring a dish to share.

As you know, I love lists … so I created a list (spreadsheet) for Party Food. I keep track of what dish I bring to each party, each year, so I don’t bring the same thing to the next year’s party or to another group party (some people overlap groups). I also keep a copy of the recipes with my list. Then it’s easy to send a copy to someone if they enjoyed my dish and asked for the recipe. I try to plan out what dishes I’ll be bringing after everything is cleaned up on Thanksgiving night (my official start of the Christmas season) … I just love having a plan 🙂

I really enjoy looking through magazines and cookbooks for new recipes to try out. Actually, my latest obsession is browsing on Pinterest … don’t knock it til you’ve tried it 🙂

PS … I brought the little Santa Hats last night, they were a big hit … I’m bringing the Pita Christmas Trees tonight !