Life happens on a continuum.  Regardless of the circumstances, nothing is ever really 100% to the good side or 100% to the bad side.  Today we are going to share our top ups and down of the holiday season.

from Kris B.

My least favorite part of the holiday season is the busy-ness of my life leading up to Christmas Day.  Most of this busy-ness is the good kind of busy, but for me who believes that the journey toward and the preparation for Christmas is an important part of appreciating Christmas Day itself, frantically moving through these weeks can be a bit disheartening and can diminish my joy.

It is the end of the semester for me, which is a good thing.  With that, however, comes the work of writing, giving, and grading final exams.  That is a finite process, but an intense one while it is happening.  Though this time next week, my final grades will all be submitted and the majority of my work responsibilities will be on hold until after the new year!

As a church musician, there is lots of music happening right now, too…Advent Lessons and Carols and preparation for all of the beautiful music on Christmas Eve.  Again, good stuff, but lots of time spent rehearsing.

In the midst of the preparations for Christmas come the birthdays of both of my girls – December 22nd and 23rd.  As one who also has a birthday during the Christmas season, I have always worked hard to honor the girls’ birthdays totally outside of the holiday season – no “double duty” gifts, no birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas paper, no mixing up any kind of holiday celebrations with birthday celebrations.  Their birthdays are to celebrate their them and the gift of their lives.  And, even though their birthdays are only a day apart, our family also never celebrates both birthdays on the same day.  We all deserve at day that is totally about us!  So, it’s Brooke on the 22nd, Erin on the 23rd, Jesus on the 25th, and me on the 28th.  It’s the most wonderful/crazy/ time of the year!

When it comes down to it, my least favorite and most favorite parts of the holiday season are the same things.  It’s all a matter of perspective.  Where are that continuum do I choose to sit.

from Tracey G.

Oh boy, yep the Good, Bad and the Ugly of the holiday season is never really cut and dried is it? I’m with Kris in that, my favorite things usually are also the things that make me crazy, lol.

I love it the baking aspect  – it’s a license to go nuts and make a bunch of stuff for the fun of it, but it also has a “purpose”. I work much better when I have a mission, than if I’m left to my own devices to pick something to make just for fun. Like for the decorated cookies, there are SOOOO many I want to make that I would spend all my free time trying to decide WHICH ones to make – but when it’s a holiday I’m working on, that makes it so much easier for me.

But then, comes the proper planning and timing. I’ve always been one who wanted them ready at the closest possible time to Christmas, but that tended to take the fun out of it because it becomes a rush to get a bunch of baked goods made – thereby sucking all the fun out of making “a bunch of different things!” that made it fun for me, lol. I am thinking that I need to let go of that, and, as long as people get their treats any time in the month of December, I’m good. I like that making of the goodies – but having a marathon weekend rushes me through the things I love to do.

I also love Christmas shopping for Harry, but that brings me back to the problem of trying to figure out what to get for the boy who really doesn’t mention anything that he’d like. So, I go on the “hunt”. Which in a way can be fun, if I figure out a direction to go. But something I’ve noticed – it seems to be that once I do find a direction/mission, the item(s) will be all but impossible to find! It happens every year for his Birthday in February as well. It’s like the Universe plays a little practical joke on me! Ugh!

But all that said, I think this year, I’m handing out my baked-good goodies as they are manufactured, to save myself some headaches and keep the FUN part in the act of preparing them!!!!