Holiday Hindsight

As 2025 took off with a boom (the midnight explosions behind my house rocked my world harder than when I got stuck in a mosh pit at a Metallica concert), I pondered my 2024 holiday season. I really nailed some things and I flubbed a few things too. My biggest takeaway from my ponderings… I wish I would’ve started doing this years ago!

#1- Stress-Free. I wasn’t stressed out over holiday stuff. What a blessed relief! I went with the flow and encountered every challenge, knowing the trajectory of the future did not depend on my holiday decision. I focused on what was in front of me, enjoyed the season, I said f-it sometimes and did what I wanted. I didn’t pressure myself to keep up with Jones’ or do all the stuff or watch all the movies. Next holiday season… I want to do the same thing. Go with the flow. Que Sera, Sera

#2- Gifts and Cards and Shopping. I like my shopping done early and love to see the pretty presents under the tree. This year, I finished on Christmas Eve Eve and nothing went under the tree because the untrustworthy grandpuppies were home. Not really a big deal. It all worked out. When Christmas day loomed close ahead, I planned to buy gift cards in lieu of the perfect unobtainable gift. Who doesn’t like to receive a gift card?

I didn’t buy gifts or send cards to everyone. This was a toughy for me. I also was very clear with my kids about our budget. Setting expectations is a biggie. Next holiday season… I want to do the same thing (except maybe get done a tad earlier)! I enjoy giving, but it shouldn’t stress me out or break the bank!

#3- Food. The crown jewel of holidays is the food. Candy, cookies, dips, mashed potatoes, charcuterie boards, rare Who-roast-beast… bring it on. I love splurging over the holidays and this year was no exception.

I prefer snacking. Cooking, eh, not my fav. For Christmas Day, I envisioned Jesse in his Marvel Christmas PJ pants and me in my red and white checkered apron in the kitchen laughing and rubbing noses and cooking together while harmonizing Baby It’s Cold Outside. Well… it felt more like the McAllister’s rushing to get to the airport than the ending of a cheesy Hallmark movie. Next holiday season… I plan to eat whatever I want, but for Day-of food for other people’s houses, I need to lower my expectations; maybe even premade food. And between Christmas and New Years, I need to plan some healthy meals. I actually got tired of the junk food.

#4- Schedule. When the kids were young, everyone in the county wanted to see them ON CHRISTMAS DAY in their adorable outfits and I hadn’t learned how to say NO. It was insanity, much of which the kids slept through. I’ve learned since then. We schedule visits over multiple days. This year went well, but next holiday season… I want to plan NOTHING for December 26th, and I want a little more time in between locations. Three hours isn’t enough to visit, drive 45 minutes home to pick up stuff for the next house and drive another 10 minutes.

#5- Quality Time. On Thanksgiving, my mom came to my house early. On Christmas Eve, I went to her house early. I helped get things ready and just hung out. I loved it! Next holiday season, I want to make sure I am not rushing through each visit, but taking some extra time to just hang out.

#6- Activities. I like Christmas puzzles. This year, I had the PERFECT puzzle; 500 pieces, an image of a Christmas tree made out of stacked books. My grandpupppy ate at least one piece and the last 25% of the puzzle pieces were all green. I lost interest and opted to NOT finish the puzzle. I was so proud of myself!! My worth isn’t tied to completing a puzzle!! (If you know, you know). I didn’t watch It’s a Wonderful Life (how dare I!!) or Home Alone (one of my favs!), but I did watch at least four random Netflix Christmas movies (Haul out the Holly- YES! Love Hard- YESSSS!! Best Christmas Ever- no. Merry Gentlemen- eh), and the Great Britain Baking Show Holiday Edition (Yummy). I read Christmas AND non-Christmas books! I went to a cheesy play that was awesome. And we drove around to look at Christmas lights. There was so much I didn’t do. And I was ok with that. Next holiday season… Whatever Christmas-y stuff seems fun, I’m gonna do it. But I’m not going to cram things in. If I feel like napping instead of fitting another Christmas movie in… that’s ok too!

#7- New Year’s Eve. This year, against my husband’s wishes, we had people over. We invited a handful of people over for a short period of time, watched the ball drop East Coast time and asked them to leave before 9:30 so we could be in bed by 10pm. It was the best. We played games, I laughed so hard I may have peed a little, we ate junk, drank blue champagne and we were in bed early. Next holiday season… I want to have another get-together, but plan ahead. AND… I need to find some eco-friendly celebratory favors. My backyard is now covered in foil confetti. Ugh.

Random things I want to remember for next holiday season:

• Wish people a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I get caught up in what I’m doing, but I know people that spend the holidays alone. I want to be better about this.
• Take more time off of work duties around Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas.
• Plan nothing for January 1st
• Exercise through the holidays. Maybe not every day, but I crashed hard after Christmas thanks to all the junk food and not exercising.
• Do an Advent study leading up to Christmas. Jesus is really the reason for the season, but I can’t say I act like it all season.

Do YOU have anything you did well this year that you want to remember OR that you want to change for next holiday season? Email me @ jollygreengiantnsweetpea@yahoo.com or message me through the blog and I will remind you in November!

For those that don’t believe this is the BEST TIME OF THE YEAR… maybe it’s because you’re not living like it. We get to decide how this goes down. It’s your life. It’s your holidays. Make it how you want it.

Happy New Year, Best wishes for a fantastic 2025!