Doing Less This December

December is here.

And it’s fast.

And, somehow, I’m already mourning Christmas being over even though it’s still 3 weeks away.

Why does this happen to me every year?

I feel this urge to squeeze in all the holiday things. 

I don’t want my kids to miss out on any experience or any tradition that I think they’d enjoy. 

And then what happens? 

I get overwhelmed. I try to smush too much into too little time. Leaving me depleted and not-at-all joyful. And suddenly TIME IS ZOOMING BY. 

I think the people were right when they said to slow the heck down. 

It’s time.

Slow down.

Do less. 

Don’t subscribe to the cute thing you saw on Instagram. 

Because there’s just TOO MUCH. 

The problem is that I look at something and think, “DANG. MY KIDS WOULD LOVE THAT.” And immediately I want to make it ours. 

And then. 

Well, you know how that story goes. (SEE ABOVE).

The time rushes past and did I even enjoy any of it? 

No, no I didn’t. 

I got really panicky a week ago because I knew I never wanted to be an elf-on-the-shelf mom. But I also knew that Ishu would probably really enjoy something like that. I was worried we were going to get to next year and Ishu would be way too cool for a moving elf and then I worried I would MISS MY SHOT.

So, while laying in bed one night, I turned over, grabbed my phone, and ordered the elf.

And now the elf is still sitting in our package room. 

And I want nothing to do with him. 

Because, yes, Ishu might enjoy something like that. 

AND. 

He enjoys a lot of things.

And we just can’t do it all. 

I’m starting to see that if I try to do it all, I LOSE THE MAGIC IN MY HEART. I’m so busy trying to create magic for my kids that it’s SPILLING OUT OF ME AND THIS MONTH IS NOT AS FUN AND SPARKLY AS IT ONCE WAS FOR ME. AND THAT’S REALLY NOT THE POINT.

So, anyway, I’m just over here taking deep breaths, prepping a return label for this damn elf, and trying my darndest to keep it simple. 

Keep it simple, keep it simple, keep it simple. 

Because at the end of the day, all the kids really want is some twinkling lights and a mom who isn’t yelling from the stress of trying to make everything magical. 

Here’s to doing less in December!