Christmas is always more stressful than it should be, and now that we live in a fancy neighborhood, with Trick-r-Treating and streetlamps and such, I fear the neighbors will be distributing competitive baked goods and hand-stenciled holiday cards beginning next week.
I’ve been experimenting with simple-but-stunning hand-dipped candies, and nothing is as easy or cheap as it seems, and even the Pioneer Woman’s cake balls were a disappointment in the taste department. (More on that later.)
It’s enough to make me wish I could follow Suzy’s pre-emptive Halloween strategy. She tapes a You’ve Been Booed ghost to her window in late September so the Angels-of-Chain-Dessert-Death pass over her loved ones in search of cooperative chumps.
A Bah! Humbug sign probably won’t fly with the kids, but I am going to declare my independence from guilt and rushing and last-minute reciprocating. I won’t be mailing out Christmas cards — I know I always say that and then on December twelfth I drag the entire family to the classy photo-art place (Sears) for a spontaneous, captivating photo shoot, and then I frantically assemble cards for only 100 of my closest friends and family members.
Well, this year I’m really not going to do cards. REALLY. Which doesn’t mean I won’t be writing a cheerily whitewashed and exaggerated (rhyming) epic poem about our “accomplishments” and “achievements” and how cute it is that Spot likes purple sippy cups. (Note: Remember to sign one of the girls up for music lessons this month to round out our “interests”). I’ll just post that letter here for all of you to glance at, set on the mantle, and then chuck in the trash.
Also, I’m thinking of skipping our traditional tree. Maybe we should go green and do something like this:
Isn’t it fantastic? Check out the original at Mountain Dew Christmas Tree.
Are there any Christmas traditions you could do without? Anything on your to-do list that kills your Trans-Siberian Orchestra buzz even before Thanksgiving? Tell me. Maybe if we each cross off each others’ least favorite Christmas customs, we’ll all end up with manageable schedules and a true feeling of peace.
Tags: christmas, guilt, neighbors, seagull fountain
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Sharla (6)
Big Mamma Frog (5)
steff (5)
Carolina (3)
Emily H. (3)
Oh Jane, the Mt. Dew tree is SO you. And me too. Let’s make matching ones. I’m getting excited about Christmas & all the accoutrements because Aaron has boycotted Thanksgiving this year. We’re going out to Cracker Barrel. Maybe I’ll come up & eat with you.
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omg streetlights???? fancy! i’m telling you, give pumpkin rolls a chance. even if you screw them up somehow no one can tell because it’s all rolled up, and after one taste people will sell their soul for a second one.
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Some people in my neighborhood got together and made up a Christmas letter about how we could all take the money we would spend giving each other (neighbors) gifts and instead donate food to the local food bank. They will have a box provided on someone’s doorstep to collect the food. I found the letter taped on my door yesterday. It’s exactly the kind of thing that I love. I don’t have to think of something creative, and some people who actually need something important like food will benefit from it. I’ll give you the letter if you’d like to see it. Maybe you could start a tradition in your own neighborhood!
I love the song!
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You might want to consider getting your family together and practicing some Christmas carols. Then you all could go up and down your lamp-lighted street and sing to your competitive neighbors. Traditional shepherds’ costumes shouldn’t be too hard to come by.
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Only because my mother will never read this blog — every year at this time my mother starts calling me and asks me for gift ideas and then when I suggest something she says “great, can you just buy that and wrap it and give it to them on my behalf”. This results in me doing MY Christmas shopping AND her Christmas shopping. Very annoying but I can’t say no – she’s my mother
Beths last blog post..F Is For Freaks
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I must admit I adore Christmas. I don’t do the decorating thing, but we have a tree. I only make desserts for gifts for friends, and I love sending out Christmas cards (but I only do about 25 cards). If I know other people who sing, I also love to go caroling. I know, I’m a big
Christmas nerd. Generally speaking, I don’t do things I don’t want to do, so I enjoy the holidays immensely, b/c I don’t feel any pressure to perform. I just pick and choose the things I enjoy doing, and stick with those.
Emily Joness last blog post..Elimination Communication
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The giving to the neighbors is hard on my street because almost everyone is a ward member–like 25 houses worth. And they all bring us something each year. Not only is it hard to receive everyone else’s goodies, it gets expensive coming up with that many return gifts. Two years ago I gave out bottles of cinnamon decorated to look like snowmen. Last year it was a homemade CD of Christmas music. I am still working on this year’s idea.
Rebeccas last blog post..Birthday Wish List
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Tara — you totally should, since Seagull Fountain is having its very own Turkey Trot that morning.
Memarie Lane — Good idea. I’ll only have to make 7 miles of them.
Marcy — oh, but where’s the creative spirit there?
Grampa — only if we can do that while you’re here.
Beth — You’re not lobbying your mom every day to come read my blog? I’m hurt. (But I guess I’m glad to offer you a safe place to confess these dark secrets.)
Emily Jones — I love Christmas too, and I even love the cards I end up making — I just wish I were more organized and did them early (instead of pretending to myself that I’m not doing them this year). I love the decorating and the tree. We always get a real one for the smell, and I even have a homemade (with folk embroidery) tree skirt and a felt advent calendar. I’m just sayin’ — sometimes the “accoutrements” as Tara says get in the way of just breathing it all in, you know? Good advice — only do what you want to do!
Rebecca — Like what you’ve done in the past. I’m sure there are tons of good (easy, cheap) ideas online. I just need to look ‘em up.
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I think the can tree would be so much classier when done in Pabst Blue Ribbon cans.
I’m contemplating the Sears photo dealio, but Becca hasn’t willingly posed for a photo in 1.5 years, and I’m not sure I feel like wrangling the two by myself. But they just sent out that postcard with the $5 package. Hmmm…
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Hmmm. Maybe Christmas cards are actually more important to you than you think, if you are always doing them even after saying you won’t? Perhaps whipping some up NOW, and sending them out early will make you feel better than hitting mid-December and changing your mind? Just a thought.
There are some traditions that are just too important for my family to lose. The tree cutting and trimming. Baking cookies the day after Thanksgiving. Writing letters to Santa.
But the ONE THING that I think makes Christmas more enjoyable?
A clean, uncluttered house.
Really. If ever there was a time to rid yourself of those extra papers, shoes, and odds and ends that don’t have a “home” in your home, now is the time. I will be donating a big ole pile of stuff in a week. And emptying the toys bins and clearing out my corners. Nothing makes me more stressed over the holidays than knowing my house is a disaster STILL. That it is the end of the year and we are bringing MORE stuff into an overcrowded house.
Bye bye clutter!
traceys last blog post..A Quiet 3 year old
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Just think how much ENERGY you’ll have after you drink all that Dew!!!
I, too, wish I could ditch the Christmas card tradition. It’s especially hard now that 1/3 of our children are in college, and is only home for 3 short days at Thanksgiving!
I did come up with a solution for the Christmas card picture though, so I guess we’ll be doing cards again this year. I DO love getting them from others though, so I would hate to disapoint anyone without sending ours (yea, right!)
HappyCamperss last blog post..A Thousand Tiny Pieces
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I quit the Christmas Card tradition a few years ago. When I first got married I used to send out literally HUNDREDS of them. But heck stamps are freakin’ expensive anymore!! Now I send about 15. That’s it. Sometimes I don’t even get that many sent. But I have to confess, I am one of the dreaded neighbors that does a cookie tray for each person in our neighborhood (we live in a very small sub-division in the country with about 9 homes)
One year, I forced paperwhites, and gave them instead. If you want to do that, you need to start this week. . . (or sooner – grin)
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I was laughing when I saw this post because I’ve just been thinking about this same question. I am determined that this Christmas will be one of peace in my home and that we will focus on what’s important. You know, presents.
Just kidding. Actually when our oldest was little we decided that our kids would get one gift from Santa, one from Mom and Dad and then one to exchange with each other. It has been so good for us to take the focus and stress off of gift giving. Last year I had some candles (from the dollar store)stamped and decorated cheaply on hand to give out. Then when people brought things by I would just give them one. And we always go caroling around the neighborhood. I really do love this year and I’m going to be done with all the preparations by the end of November. (ha ha) By the way, that is my favorite song of all time and my favorite version! Although I must say I thought the MD tree was hideous. 
Sharlas last blog post..Book Giveaway
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Hm, move to Australia, live somewhat inner-city-ish, and have at least one set of neighbours you don’t even want to talk to, because that’ll bring out the Grumpy Old Lady in you and you’d want to ask them to please not ever play that Red Hot Chilli Peppers CD at 3am again because it’s so OLD already.
Or, rather than give gifts, you could invite the neighbours over for a drink? (Tea? Mountain Dew? Kool Aid?) I’ve been meaning to do that with one neighbour for years, but haven’t done it. I hate it when my actions don’t live up to my intentions.
As for Christmas traditions that I could do without? Hmm, I love making Rum Balls and White Christmas and am known for them at work, but I often end up making them on the night of the 23rd, and spend the 24th hunting people down in the office and forcing them to eat my Christmas goodies. I like it, but it often ends up more stressful than I intend.
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Christmas lights before Thanksgiving…I’m very bothered by that. If you can’t wait till after Thanksgiving, at least wait for a few weeks past Halloween. Just because trick-or-treating is done doesn’t mean you should break out the Christmas carols. What about the pilgrims? They deserve some time and consideration, I think.
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Maggie — Dude. NOTHING says classy like a tower of Mountain Dew cans.
Tracey — Hmmm. Two really great ideas. I esp. like your anti-clutter plan. Makes a lot of sense! (and of course you’re right that the cards are important to me, but THANKS A LOT for pointing it out — now I should really reconsider, and FAST).
Happy Campers — good point. LOTS of energy.
Heather — The flower idea is fantastic. I would LOVE to get a flower (do you need my address?).
Sharla — Are you MOCKING that way-cool tree? I think your candle idea is great — having stuff on hand to hand out sounds wonderful, so that you know for sure you’ve reciprocated.
Kirsty — That’s exactly what I mean. I WANT to do these fun holiday things, but they’re always more work/time/money than I expect.
Tracey — Haha. That’s what Sally keeps saying. Not about the pilgrims, but she keeps saying, WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING??
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Let me clear; I hate Christmas. Hate. It. With the passion of a thousand fiery suns. It comes from having too much family; adopted, divorced parents, remarried, and now, everyone wants to see the baby, and on THEIR schedule, not ours.
I want to crawl down a hole and not come out until January, I’m not even kidding.
Needless to say, I don’t do Christmas cards.
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i wish i could get out of buying presents for the neighbors…unfortunately they are all my family! lol
amybs last blog post..winter is finally here!
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Last year my soon to be husband and I spent all day on Thanksgiving juggling his family (and their 5 different places we HAD to go) and my family. Then we did the same thing on Christmas. We just moved to KY in April and I have told my husband that we can’t afford to go home for the holidays. Mostly because I want to enjoy my holiday for once instead of being stressed about all the things we have to do. But we are going to go home in January after all the comotion has died down
Natalies last blog post..Free Bottlecap Jewelry Making Class
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[...] was hoping they’d be the answer to my competitive Christmas baking needs: cheap, easy, and STUNNING, but, unfortunately, they were cheap-ish, WAY HARD, and (honestly) kinda [...]
this is so -totally- cool. omg. i have to make a diet coke christmas tree. i love it. i’m doing this
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