I’ve been wondering. Is this the longest month of the year? Or the shortest?
I guess that depends on whether you’re the one putting a little ornament on the Advent calendar every single day as you count down toward the magic number 25.
If you’re that person, it’s a long, long month.
Either way, whether your December has dragged on or flown by, Christmas is almost here, people!
Am I ready? No!
(But it’s still noon on Thursday as I write this, thank God.)
Are you ready? I hope so! I hope you are relaxing with a cup of hot cocoa and thinking of all the holiday bliss that you are completely ready for.
And if you have a minute to spare, I’d love to hear—really!—what is your plan for the next two days?? I always so enjoy getting a glimpse into how people spend these certain two days of the year.
Ours…
Will start by Christmas Eve-ing at Ma and Pa‘s house, where we will be joined by the cozy crew of my brother and his wife, plus my little nephews and niece, whose eyes will be filled with the true I-almost-can’t-take-it-I’m-so-excited magic of Christmas.
R-kids and I will light our final Advent candle and one (very specific) gift will be unwrapped before bed.
Then the sleepless hours leading up to the big moment we’ve been waiting for all month:
Christmas morning frenzy.
I know everyone has a different preference on this point, but as for R-kids and me, we like to do our frenzy nice and slow.
Stockings can get opened before I’m awake, but anything else waits until, oh, 8-ish or so when the kids can come jump on my bed and drag me out. After that, it’s one person opening one gift at a time. This may have started as my suggestion, but it’s now a procedure that is vigilantly protected by R-kids, who want to savor every moment.
Whether there’s a lot or a little under the tree, we can stretch the whole thing out for hours—and we do. Taking breaks for breakfast (always hot cinnamon rolls, and this year probably an egg skillet), pictures, hot tea, phone calls from grandparents, talking about all the ways the gift we just opened is perfect and all the ways we can’t wait to use it, telling the story of where and how we found it (and usually the amazing deal we got on it), playing for a bit with some of our goodies along the way, and carefully choosing which one to open next.
Don’t rush us.
Boy am I looking forward to that relaxed feeling. There’s a lot of rushing to happen before then!
Yikes. I better go.
But first.. It’s on my mind this year that, for some people, this is just another Friday and Saturday to get through—but without the typical distractions available on most Fridays and Saturdays. Everything is shut down. Everyone is holed up. A flaming fireplace log is the only thing on TV.
Or for some there won’t be a Christmas present at all, much less a frenzy. Maybe not even a breakfast.
I can say that this won’t be my easiest Christmas ever. But I will be surrounded by people I love, who love me back, and that makes it good.
That also makes it more than I know some people will have this year. A lot more.
Whether you’re looking forward to a wonderful or a hard holiday (or a both/and one), here’s hoping it ends up being a little bit better than you expect.
Blessings…
by julie rybarczyk
Be sure to check out Heather and Emily‘s Christmas plans too!
photos of R-house by charming elephant
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