December is sooo over!

I've learned something. This is a good thing, as I am a slow learner and usually don't realize I've learned something until that information has rendered itself completely useless to me. This might come in handy in years to come.

Every December of my married life, I have been so busy I could never see how I could possibly get it all done. But, I ALWAYS did. Even Christmas of 2003; I had 22 people at my house for Christmas day, and still managed to pull off a wedding 8 days later.

This past Christmas, I had nothing big going on. Nothing at all. And, I did not get 'it all' done. I didn't even get my Christmas letter written, or more than a handful of cards sent out.

No weddings, no basketball tournaments, no trips out of town, no major illnesses, not even a computer to distract me.

Why, oh why then did I not get 'it all' done?

Quite possibly, since my calendar looked pretty empty for December, I FAILED TO PLAN. Me. A dyed in the wool INTJ. I didn't plan. I didn't write lists, I didn't fret, I didn't stay up late. I DID NOT PREPARE!

So, my friend, that is why there was no Christmas letter. That is why the toffee failed (it always takes me three attempts to get it right, and i only left myself time for two attempts). This is why all of the cut-out cookies were 'snowballs'. This is why presents didn't get wrapped until the day of, as the glue still wasn't quite set on my decoupaged gifts.

And, I did learn something. Christmas is a celebration of the best gift ever given. It's best enjoyed in a welcoming heart, without obsessing on all of the mooing and baaing going on all around it. As long as I can hang on to that everyday of the year, I'm less likely to care if I ever get 'it all' done again.