Christmas 2.0

My boundaries for Christmas this year gave me the right assist to sink into a little more joy this time around. Hooray! - I wanted to jump into the blog for a short review as I continue to explore the season of Advent and Christmas in new ways. For those who struggle with this holiday and time of year, my wish is that you will begin sifting through all that you currently do or try to do and find ways to create a holiday that's filled with more peace, hope, joy, and love.

Since we're in a new space and home this year, I had to figure out all the new places for decorations to go. Truth be told, I'm ready for some new decor and didn't even put a tree up this year. But I absolutely loved this sweet little shelf-scape in our dining room! Maybe next year we will get a tree, even if it's a small one.

My Dad's side of the family always gets together mid-December to celebrate. It was the first Christmas in which my grandfather decided to stay home because he no longer wants to leave the house. And so... our gathering was a bit nuanced this year. There's a feeling in the air that our family is changing...growing...evolving.

I was able to start Christmas slowly and on my own terms and it was soooo nice. I wasn't worried about anything. No lists to check off. No mad dashing to the store - ok, actually I had to make two trips. But they were intentional and it's my own fault because I had every opportunity to shop online for the item.

All in all, here's what seemed to work well for me:

- The boundary of only one to two gifts for those in my immediate family.

- The item had to make me think of you: "Oh, she would love this!" or "This is the perfect game for him."

- Making a gift for a friend instead of buying one.

- Writing heart-felt cards.

- Listening to Christmas music while working.

- Serving somewhere with friends.

What I'd like to do next year:

- Go see Christmas lights!!

- Bake more goodies.

- Watch all my beloved Christmas movies. (I didn't watch a single one this year!)

- Put up a Christmas tree.

No matter what, it's only up from here. I can tell. I'm starting to appreciate the season a bit more each time. It's like a slow rebound from retail. I also really appreciated this holiday list shared by Jenna Kutcher. This is my kind of Christmas list.