Swing that Hammer While Singing 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'

Now I remember what the lead up to Christmas used to feel like:  A freight train bearing down upon me while I, running full tilt, tried to stay ahead of it.  Women are responsible for Christmas.  We are the logistical managers of this yearly project.  Most adult women have these lists, tangible and intangible, in our heads and on paper, filled with bullet points which say: 

• Get out the Advent Calendar
• Get family photo for Christmas Card/ecard taken
• Write chatty annual Christmas letter
• Address Christmas Cards (old school), or
• Send e-cards with kids' photos (new school)
• Plan charity gifts
• Find Christmas decorations
• Nag husband to get decorations down from attic/garage shelves/spare room closet
• Unpack and recondition Christmas decorations.
• Test the lights BEFORE stringing this year  
• Decorate house/office/school/church
• Buy tree/wreath/garland
• Decorate tree/wreath/hang garland
• What do I get the teacher, paper boy,  post man, co-workers, building super, or doorman?
• Figure out what the people in the family want
• Buy all the gifts
• Try not to get into buying frenzy this year
• Remember the reason for the season while taking deep breaths as you drive between holiday activities.
• Buy gift wrap and ribbons
• Wrap all the gifts
• Remember to TAG all the gifts while wrapping this year
• Get out special dishes
• Find Christmas table linens
• Figure out seating arrangements Christmas Day (Who's too old for the kid table?)
• Juggle Christmas party invitations.
• Figure out what to wear to all the parties
• RSVP Christmas party invitations.

And we haven't even talked about FOOD yet.  Let's just not go there.

Women in my age group who haven't 'let go' yet are basically comatose for the first two weeks of January because they are so tired from decorating, buying, gift wrapping, food shopping, babysitting, and cooking.  Young women are juggling the toddler/early elementary school set while working full time.  (They go from, 'Kid afraid of Santa. to Kid asking five times a day, When is Santa coming!)  I know there are women out there who would like to drive an ice pick through the heart of the composer of 'Jingle Bells'.  (This is the first song memorized by four to six year olds who love to then sing it at the tops of their tiny little lungs again, and again and again.) Women with older children don't have to work to preserve the Santa myth, but their cross to bear is reigning in pre-teen and teen Christmas greed and unrealistic expectations.  (No, I don't think a nine year old needs a make-up kit.  Are you kidding?  Do you know what the insurance cost is for a 16 year old boy driving a Corvette?  Plus, if your Dad can't have one, what makes you think you can?)

And we haven't even talked about FOOD yet.  Oh, Lord, so many special ingredients to buy.

Sprinkle all this with an unforeseen event like a house remodel, or an illness, or an unexpected trip,and Bob's Your Uncle, recipe for Hari Kari.  But, hey, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Holidays, Joyous Kwanza or Bah, Humbug as you please.  And, as I'm sure you're asking, why, why do we do all this?

• For the joy of posting something each day of Advent
• Loving the growth progression of the children in each Christmas photo
• Sharing the joys and heartaches of the year with close friends
• Experiencing the joy of giving to the less fortunate
• Basking in the beauty of the twinkly lights
• Loving the face of the gift receiver when you've 'nailed it'
• Remembering the woman who bequeathed you that special bowl or table cloth or utensil
• Knowing that showing appreciation to those who work for you and with you forge bonds of community
• Enjoying making the special foods which seems so time consuming until it becomes a family sharing event
• Taking the opportunity to thank your creator for the 'new beginning' Christmas represents each year.

May your Holiday be as wonderful as mine is going to be.

Enjoying Christmas is all about attitude.