Favorites this Christmas

You know, it's a week before Christmas. I know you know that. I just had to say it as a way to start my explanation. I am so not ready. [My mother should be calling me anytime now about my pathetic grammar.] But really, I am not even close to being ready. It probably should concern me, but every year at this time, I know that I feel the same way. Truth is, I simply will never be "truly ready".
A co-worker pointed that out to me last week when I was telling her how I felt like I had so many things to do to get ready for Christmas and I just didn't know how I would fit them all in. "You feel like this every year" was her comment. Obviously she's worked with me for a few years with the same refrain echoing throughout the halls of my work place. So since that comment, I have decided to relax into the fact that I won't be able to fit it all in. I simply won't be able to. I am not even going to feel the least bit guilty about it either.
Here's another little surprise. Overall, since I made that decision, I can truly say that I have been enjoying the Christmas season. Yes there's lots of things I haven't done. This year, I am celebrating with programs and concerts and involvement in activities which have asked for my time. These things have taken priority over baking, decorating, card-sending and picture-taking I thought I would be doing. I have become acutely aware that this season of my life is going to be short - I won't always have concerts to attend or recitals to plan. So drinking in the celebrations I am involved in right now, in this moment of time.
Here's a list of some of the favorites of the celebration thus far. I hope you have your own. I hope that you will enjoy your celebration of Christmas too. If you don't have your own, and need to borrow some of mine, I give you permission. My list includes:

• Shopping trips with the family,
• Cups of hot chocolate to celebrate end of the successful concerts.
• Learning songs to play at various programs.
• Picking up kids from the banquet and enjoying their comments on the entertainment as we made our way home.
• Dropping everything to take a little trip out of town with a dear friend.
• Stopping at various Christmassy shops and drinking in the colors and arrangements.
• Treating myself to two new Christmas albums.
• Enjoying a coffee shop-hop with a new friend. [ which we mixed up and called "coffee hop-shopping" - sure to be a phrase to use again]
• Watching three feel-good Christmas movies in a row - the ones where you know exactly how it's going to end, but it still is deliciously fluffy and fun to watch.
• Listening to Kindergarten kids explain Christmas - did you know that the three wise men brought crafts and Frankenstein to Jesus?

Merry Christmas Everyone! Don't forget the reason for the season.