Finding where you need to be on your Christmas “To do” list
Hello everyone, This is Christy’s mama. I wanted to take a few minutes to sit and visit with you on this exciting week leading up to Christmas.
I hope you are organized and right on time with all your Christmas plans. Or, you may be more like the rest of us.
We all start out with the best laid plans. By this time of the season, we had hoped to have all the gifts purchased and wrapped, all of the decorating done, the calendar all planned, and the groceries purchased for the Christmas baking. The reality is that I have a few gifts bought, none of them wrapped, a few baking needs purchased and I noticed there are a few days when I should be in two places at once. It is the same every year and every year I resolve to do better next year.
I read in a magazine a few years ago about a lady who was stressed one Christmas because everything was pushed to the last minute. From that year on, she made sure that her house was decorated and all the gifts bought and wrapped by the first of December. Then she was able to relax and enjoy the baking and festivities with the rest of her family. I admired her for being able to do that and hoped to learn from her.
What I ended up learning was that I am not capable of being that lady. No matter how much I try to stay on schedule, life happens. Opportunities come about that are just too good to pass up, shopping with friends, dinner out, visiting with family, or just sitting and stitching. Somehow though, everything gets done and the kids don’t seem to notice that decorations are not perfect or that a few of the cookies are store bought ( put the store bought cookies on a pretty platter and the kids marvel at the new recipe and how good they are!).
Now to get back to the purpose of my little story. One thing I do to make the holidays a little more organized is mark the holiday recipes that my family loves and expects with a highlighter. Then I can easily turn to them and make a few that everyone expects. I am attaching links to the ones that have become tried and true recipes for our family. These are the ones that we usually have every year and the ones that we all love.
I hope that you take the time to relax a little and reflect on the true reason we celebrate Christmas. It’s not really about all the rushing and gift buying. Christmas is to celebrate our Savior’s birth and spend time with friends and family. When everyone is gathered together, no one notices if the ornaments are perfectly hanging from the tree or if the tablecloth is pressed. Look at the gleam in the little ones eyes and experience the magic of the season. When you do this, everything will be put back in perspective and you will see that you are exactly where you should be on your “to-do” list after all.
Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your friends and family.
Now I’m off to bake red velvet cakes and wrap gifts! Enjoy the season and remember, Mama loves you!
Must do recipes in our Family:
- Red (green) velvet cake (Christy explains why we make ours green in her cookbook, page 170)
- Mini Cheesecakes (Christy’s cookbook Page 169)
- Holly Jollies (we always make a TON of these for teacher and classmate gifts)
- Cut Out Cookies for Santa (We’ve been making these since Christy was a baby)
- Peppermint Bark
- Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and/or Cinnamon Fudge (One recipe, three flavors can be made)
- Fruitcake cookies
- Creole candy (Christy’s Cookbook, page 159 )
- Microwave Chex Mix
“Happiness will never come to those
who fail to appreciate what they already have.”
~ Unknown
One thing I did several years ago is that someone gave me a mini-recipe album, so I took all my holiday recipe cards & put them there, so that each year I just go to that little album & everything is right there. It has pockets, so if I see something online or something new, I can print it out, stick it in there.
Of course, there are some recipes I make throughout the year, as my Fruit Tea, so I keep that in my everyday file, but the specialty holiday recipes are all together! A real help to find things.
And decorating is always the weekend after Thanksgiving. No exceptions! My hubby knows not to even plan to work that day! LOL
I, too, am behind on everything, but it will all get done. I am still in shock over the unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, CT (I live only an hour away from there), and that is not helping matters. I am looking forward to getting back on track for the holiday season. Thanks for the inspiration!
I don’t think I could of said it any better than David Appenzeller. Those are
the things I thought of too. God first , then family, and then others. Your mom
certainly put good family and spiritual values into you and you are passing that
on to your family and to others. We can look at you & know your mom put
kindness, thoughtfulness, very family oriented, being positive, and being pro-
ductive in many ways. Your mom did a wonderful job with you. Thank you mom
for your wonderful daughter and all she shares with us . Have a very Blessed
day on Jesus’s birthday and praying for you & your love ones to have a Greater
New Year in the Lord.
Proverbs 31:10-31
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates!
Merry Christmas to two beautiful ladies!!!
Hey, Christy’s Mama! We sure do love your little girl. I do get my house decorated somewhat for Christmas the weekend following Thanksgiving, but this year my baking, package wrapping, and prep for Christmas dinner is WAY behind! I don’t know where the time went at all! I do work, so my time is fractured, but that really doesn’t explain it. I’ve worked ever since I was a kid (starting in high school and college), and time has never gotten away from me like it has now. Maybe the organizational skills reduce as the silver hairs increase…
Very nice to meet your Mother and yeah i know how these people feel i get that way at times too.But i don’t do presents but i cook and bake for real close friends and their family.We are doing all 3 together this year Thanksgiving,Christmas and New Years.Keep up the great work.
Thank you, Christy’s Mama! And Merry Christmas to all of the Southern Plate family! ♥