Hey, November!
You’ve arrived. (Gulp.)
It’s Crunch Time. So let’s . . .
Over the years, I’ve gotten WAY more relaxed about the whole holiday season “thing.” (I was well on my way to that stage of enlightenment BEFORE the pandemic pushed me over the finish line.)
Still.
When November rolls around, it always give me a not-so-gentle nudge.
There are things I need to/want to consider (and possibly do) before the holiday season and the end of the year arrive.
I call it my Crunch Time.
“The confetti’s on the ground,” November says to me.
“Party’s over.”
When I say Crunch Time, I don’t mean making a huge, personally-over-extending kind of list and cranking my way through it. (Those days are gone.) I say Crunch Time and think of it as . . . my time for making choices; for deciding how to proceed through this upcoming season. Examples of conversations with myself when I’m in Crunch Time mode????
Am I going to plant those bulbs I bought this year, or not?
How about starting some amaryllis bulbs inside? Order bulbs? Or let that go?
How about dropping everything and making last-minute holiday gifts? Or . . . not.
What will the Thanksgiving meal look like this year, and what can I do ahead?
What to do about holiday cards and sending greetings to far away friends?
How do I want to wrap up the year and feel complete?
November has arrived, and the end of the year is looming.
It’s Crunch Time.
Now it’s time to take stock of what’s coming. You get to decide how things proceed.
(HINT: You don’t have to do everything.)
=====
November is here.
Don’t wait, my friends!
Start Your Engines!
We don’t really have crunch time here.
Thanksgiving is at my brother-in-laws and our Christmas is WAYYYY laid back since it really isn’t “our” holiday. I do make a nice supper and we do put Christmas lights outside for others to enjoy. But, we got off the “have to do everything” hamster wheel a long time ago.
Hope you find time to relax and enjoy even though it is crunch time for you.
That’s a good list of things to consider and you’ve prompted me to make my own. It feels like a good way to start this month off on the right foot.
Yes, yes, yes! I am contemplating things about my sticky-wicket… Christmas. I am determined to find a new path this year that appeases the child who missed out without having to put.out.all.the.things! And I. have begun the list of must have’s and let go’s this morning… in pencil. It’s a work in progress!
(P.S. I watched part of the NEW class video this morning and I have a delivery of Arches watercolor sheets arriving Wednesday… how do I break them down to quarter sheets?)
My crunch time is getting less crunchy as I get older. I’ve settled on an artificial tree that I like to decorate, I’ve whittled all the other decorations down to the “important” ones, I may do cards but just a few, and I think I might even let amaryllis go this year. I’d like to knit a few hats for my menfolk, but I probably care more about that than they do. I hope your crunch time is smooth, manageable, and even enjoyable!
Gift-giving is always crunch time, alas. What to give, how many…etc. End of year completeness? Just getting through crunch time is complete enough for me. And No Christmas Knitting. Christmas crafts, maybe, but No Knitting. I always plan to Keep It Simple and that plan always runs way from me. But at least No Knitting:).
Right there with you, Kym! In so many ways. Letting go of some things, embracing others (like…choices!), Not letting it wait, regardless!
I am focused on making it through the bat mitzvah, and then I’ll be able to relax! We’ll likely send out New Year’s cards instead of holiday cards, so that gives us some breathing room, and I’m not planning to do a ton of gift knitting this year, either. I’m trying to make my life as stress free as possible this fall!
I’m trying to keep myself from feeling crunched … which is tricky since I feel like I pretty much missed a whole month for doing anything except puppy patrol. Still, this is one of my favorite times of the year and I intend to be present and enjoy it!
This is a complicated time of year for me. Our family has a Christmas tree farm, which is both a ton of fun and exhausting. Also I’ve made a midlife career change, and am serving in my first year as pastor at our small, rural church. The next couple weeks are planning time for me! Plus two preteen kids to plan Christmas for. It will be good, and I’m trying to keep my expectations myself in check.
Oh yes! It is crunch time. But, like you, over the years things have evolved. Our Christmas is much simpler than it used to be. This will be another year with no tree since we are going to Texas for Christmas! We have not hosted Thanksgiving for years, but we may do that this year (and I’m looking forward to it) – but there will not be 4 pies and there will not be a TON of food. A sampling is good.
You’ve reminded me I really wanted to get a few Amaryllis bulbs, but I think I’ll buy local this year. And I think we won’t do much to decorate for Christmas. It’s not like we have kids or anything. Since there are a few favorite items for decor we’ll get them out and maybe even buy a new menorah. The motto around here is “Keep it Simple”. Whatever your decide to do I hope it’s enjoyable and beautiful!
Your post reminds to think about how I want to wrap up this year. Our holidays are much simpler. However I have gift packages to put together and mail by the first of December – nothing too too crazy but enough from my husband and I to our kids. Other than that we’ll do some simple things that bring us joy.