Six Days Remaining in November;Time to Slow Down and EnjoyThe Holiday Preparations

Some folks see the arrival of Black Friday or December 1st and realize how much they have to do and how little time left in which to do it. For those feeling squeezed for time, will inevitably switch into high gear and begin a fast-paced, often hectic schedule of shopping, wrapping, baking, cleaning, decorating and more shopping. This is the perfect recipe for having time and days begin to pass in rapid succession and the memory of those days become less and less enjoyable and more obligatory.

That's why I say "time to slow down" so that you can begin to enjoy the planning, the preparations, and turn them into fun instead of a series of "must do's" with time running out. Two solutions come to mind. The first is to begin holiday preparations much earlier. That won't help you for this year however, so the second solution is to simplify your holiday preparations. Use less labor-intensive decorations. Plan less than a 12-course meal.  Buy one gift per person instead of many. (There should be a limit to "Santa's" showering us with things we really don't need.)

These may not be your concerns and therefore not helpful as solutions, so you must examine your own priorities for a satisfying holiday. What things are absolutely essential for a satisfying holidays for you and your family? What elements are extraneous and genuinely not needed for holiday satisfaction? Engage a family member to enjoy the mutual satisfaction of cookie baking. If no one is interested, perhaps that is their "vote" that Christmas cookies are not important to them. If that is true, a lot of time can be saved by cutting way back on that project. 

Cut your Christmas down to size. Use as many meaningful family and friends activities as possible which require the least amount of time, and expense. Make time for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service--it will help to keep you in touch with the original meaning of Christmas and honor the One we seek to celebrate.