Holiday Decorating...Anxiety or Enjoyment?
"I wanted to bring joy to other people and decided the holidays were as much a matter of organization as they were a matter of the heart. The two work together. Organization during the holidays is an expression of the heart."
-Marcia Ramsland
If your decorations cause you more anxiety than enjoyment, it is time to simplify. This is especially true if you seem to leave more of them packed away each year because you can’t be bothered.
• As you come across pictures of good decorating arrangements in magazines, clip them out and keep them in your holiday notebook. That simplifies your decorating time this year and next.
• Simplify your decorations by getting them up early in December. What you don’t put on display, give away to charity or a newlywed couple quickly so that others can use them this year.
• Put up decorations that bring you joy and warm your heart. This can be a creative manger scene, doll-like impressions of English carolers from the 19th century, or your favorite Christmas ornaments that mean something special to you. Decorating your home should be something you enjoy.
• When it comes time to decorating your tree, enlist the help of your children, or, if they are too young, invite a girlfriend over to chat and hang ornaments with you. The task goes a lot faster that way.
• If you’re looking for motivation, plan a neighborhood gathering or invite everyone in your Bible Study to come over for your annual Christmas party. Opening up your home works as a good motivator to get everything in place!
• Simplify your boxes by labeling them clearly. Limit the amount of storage space they will absorb for the other eleven months of the year.
Decorating early in December will get you and your family ready and excited for the holidays. But when the holidays are over, they’ve over, so don’t delay putting the decorations away.
(Excerpt from Simplify Your Life: Get Organized and Stay that Way! by Marcia Ramsland,W Publishing,)
COMPLAIN OR ADJUST: A Personal Note
Last year I had a big decision to make. My in-laws from Florida and my daughter and husband from Illinois could only come to visit us at Thanksgiving, not Christmas. I had a choice: was I going to complain that we all wouldn't be together, or was I going to adjust?
I decided to adjust and make the most of Thanksgiving week by celebrating with Turkey dinner on Thursday... and bringing out the Christmas tree and lights Friday to celebrate Christmas Saturday night before they all flew home. Whew! That took some organization to host eight guests, celebrate Thanksgiving, and then Christmas all in the same week. But we did it. And it was a great success.
It turned out all the pressure of decorating for the season was over early, and we even shopped together for each other on Friday after Thanksgiving. Everyone got what they wanted and we had a great time laughing and working together.
This year we decided to do the same thing PLUS add our daughter, Lisa's,25th birthday party for 30 people on Tuesday night. That was interesting to have birthday balloons and streamers, Thanksgiving decorations, followed by Christmas decorations all in the same week.
But you know what? It was one of the happiest weeks of our year. . . because I was organized and just pulled out my Holiday Notebook with all the notes from what I did last year. It was a success then and we improved and simplified it this year. My in-laws said they are already going to make reservations for next Thanksgiving since they had so much fun.
You really can take the stress out of the holidays and turn it into seasonal success. Get organized and it will get easier. I promise.
Marcia Ramsland is well known as "The Organizing Pro" for her practical skills and tips to manage busy lives. She is a speaker, author, and media guest expert appearing on TV, radio, and in national magazines for her popular books Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Time, and Simplify Your Holidays (Thomas Nelson). Visit her website, www.organizingpro.com for free tips.
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