Last year was the first year I had to got to dress up my daughter for Halloween. And in my typical fashion, I spent hours researching and brainstorming and planning and budgeting and dreaming.
And in the end, she went as a cat. With no tail. And crooked eyeliner-drawn whiskers.
What happened? I don’t know for sure. I think I used up all my energy on the planning part and came up empty for the actual execution.
I’d like to say this has never happened before, but that’s another post for another day.
Today I want to encourage you as we head into the holiday season. Don’t overdo it. Don’t fill your legal pads and planners and – seriously – prayer journals with to-do lists and seating charts. Don’t wear yourself out planning parties and making centerpieces and baking cookies.
Well, if you must do something, I’m sure a couple dozen cookies would be fine. Chocolate chip, please.
Anyway, how about we pace ourselves this year? Take it one day at a time, enjoy the moment, be present with our friends and family – the whole deal.
Will you join me in giving up on a perfect Halloween? (And Thanksgiving and Christmas and you get the picture.)
On Friday, October 30, I’m going to host my very first carnival. I’ll show you my most pitiful Halloween costumes and tell you my most embarrassing Halloween story, and you can link up your stories and photos and recipes and whatever else you’d like to share.
And oh yeah – did I mention this? – I’ll also be giving away a few prizes that day. Believe me, you don’t want to miss it.
Here’s a button, if you want to spread the word. Or decorate your blog. Or print it on stickers and decorate the ladies’ stall. Whatev.
What’s your most stressful part of the holiday season?
I love you, Mary. I'm serious about the Facebook group.
I think working moms are too busy to spend time stressing. I've been on-and-off stressing about Libbie's birthday party (Oct. 24) and Halloween. Then, alternately, I sit back and think IT DOESN'T MATTER THIS MUCH. I think we're going with a hand-me-down Halloween costume and going to the church fall festival, because it feels weird to take a 1-year-old (GASP! She'll be ONE!) trick-or-treating for candy she can't eat.
Love it, Mar and I'm totally in!
If I can take even a sliver of the stress off myself that arrives about this time of year and place it towards good things: you know, like family, God- the REASONS for the celebrations- I might just be one step closer to sane. And that's probably a good thing!
my most stressful part of the holiday season? getting older… :((
This is the first year that Aiden is in school so I'm pretty sure we'll have to pull something together for the littlest kid parade. However, that doesn't help for Halloween night, because there will likely be snow on the ground and so a costume has to go over a parka (or at least a lot of sweaters.) All that for candy we won't let the kid eat (or at least most of it- trust me- Aiden on candy is a wild WILD sight!)
So yes, I'm stressing this year. I don't like stressing. Help me Mary! Help me! :)
HaHa, I like Chelleybutton's answer. Trying not to eat all that yummy candy is pretty stressful! I had fun creating homemade costumes for my son each year. One that looked well put-together but didn't cost much. I had a very wealthy friend that would spend a lot of money buying her children extravagant costumes. I was always pleased with what my son ended up with, and my husband was happy to see me budget.
Okay, so this picture of your daughter makes me giggle. It is so adorable. And her expression is priceless!
I may do the same outfit for my 8 month old…too cuute! No pressure!
Thank you! :)
LCGreen of sparkedlife.blogspot.com
hmmm… we don't do halloween. except for handing out candy to our hundreds of neighbor kids.
but wonderful reminder on the imperfect non stressfull holidays this year!