It's The Day Before

the day before Christmas, and my shopping is done! I've got all my presents bought--even the stocking stuffers, all the things I need for Christmas Dinner bought, and everything I need for tomorrow night's Christmas Eve party bought. I've still got to make the sausage *** and monkey bread, but I'll do that tomorrow. I'll also make my casseroles and pies, so all I'll have to cook on Christmas Day is the turkey.

I know a lot of people find Christmas to be a very stressful time of year. Many of them turn hard and bitter towards the holiday. Others decide that they just won't celebrate. They won't participate at all. This kind of thinking saddens me. Just think of all the joy these people are missing out on.

I used to be in the Christmas Is Stressful camp myself. Then, one Christmas, several years ago, I had an epiphany. I'd worked so hard at making sure everything was just right. I had to make the perfect cookies. I had to make the perfect candy. I had to buy the perfect presents. I had to decorate the perfect tree. We had to have the perfect time. I had to make perfect memories for my son. Everything had to be just perfect. That night, as the sun set on Christmas day, I thought to myself, for the first (and last) time in my life, "I'm so glad Christmas is over."

It hit me like I ton of bricks.

I'd never been glad that Christmas was over. Never. As a child, I'd always felt it was somehow wrong for Christmas Day to end. That time should somehow stop, and it would go on being Christmas forever. Now here I was thinking that I was glad it was over. What had happened to me? I'd lost the joy. I'd forgotten what Christmas was all about. I vowed to myself, "Never again."

I vowed to relax and enjoy the season. It didn't mean I would stop baking or decorating. I just wouldn't worry about it. If the cookies didn't turn out just so, it would be ok. If the tree wasn't decorated just so, it would be ok. If I didn't get every single type of cookie or candy made, we'd be all right. If whatever happened, it would be ok.

When I made that decision, the joy returned. It made me want to decorate even more. It made me want to bake even more. It made me want to put a dollar in the Salvation Army bucket. And cry a little when I did so. Heh, I even wanted to shop for presents! (Ok, so I'm still not terribly keen on the Christmas - Parade - After - Dark - On - A - Tuesday - Night thing, but hey, I'm human after all.)

Every year since that year, when the sun goes down on Christmas Day, I've again felt that it is somehow wrong for Christmas Day to end. That time should somehow stop and it should go on being Christmas forever. I'll feel that way this year.

I hope you will, too.

Merry Christmas, my friend.

..