I was sitting at my desk at school yesterday morning and I got a text from my husband asking, “Did you know that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK?!  Yes.  I did, because I have dates on my syllabus and because I am seriously looking forward to the long weekend.  If I weren’t a slave to a schedule and calendar, I’m not sure I would have realized that the holiday season is literally around the corner.

The fall has blown by.  I have been busy with a lot of travel, much more than I usually do during a school semester, but still it feels like yesterday was Labor Day and tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have no idea how I got from one to the other.  If I sit still long enough to think about it, I can list all the things that I have done between September and now and it becomes easier to see how where the time has gone.  But still, I have this feeling of being in a time warp.  This feeling excites only a slight panic in that I know I have much to do between now and the end of the year!

Fortunately, now that my family consists of only adults, preparing for and executing all of the holiday celebrations are not solely my responsibility.  In fact, except for a dish or two, I have nothing to do for Thanksgiving.  I don’t even have to clean my house because our family gathering is not happening at my house!  Woohoo!  Christmas will happen here, but I have ten days off between the end of the semester and Christmas morning.  I can get my house cleaned then. 🙂

What causes me a bit of anxiety during this time of year is that I like to make/knit many of my Christmas gifts.  I am behind this year!  Back in September, I made a list of all of the gifts that I wanted to make this year.  They are prioritized – the must-dos, the I really want-tos, and the if-I-have-enough-time-tos.  Right now, I am not even halfway through the must-dos.  I have been working on them, really I have, but apparently not diligently enough!

I believe that I will get the must-dos and at least some of the want-tos done.  I’m not sure how or when, but I have confidence that I will.  I always do.  A lot of knitting will get done next weekend when I’m not cleaning my house and I’m not cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner!  I so am looking forward to a couple of days my sweats, curled up in the recliner with my yarn and needles doing nothing but making stuff.  There is no better feeling that creating something for someone else with your own hands…well, and some sticks and string! 🙂

And, if I make the gifts myself, I don’t have to brave the shopping malls or the barrage all of online ads every time I turn my computer on.  I already have everything I need to get the things done…well, everything but enough time!

Time does move quickly.  Life moves quickly.  Reality checks that smack you in the face reveal just how quickly.  I’m hopeful that in the next few weeks that I can measure the speed by which time has passed not by things that I regret having not done, but by all the things that I have taken intentional time to do and to create.  Only time will tell how successful I will be.

How are you doing with your holiday preparations?  Have you thought about the things that are most important to you during this time of year?  Do you have a clear list of must-dos, want-tos, and if-I-have-enough-time-tos?  If you make any of your holiday gifts, I hope that you find joy in their creation. I also hope that you’ll share photos of what you make with us…after gift-giving season, of course.  We don’t want to ruin your surprises!

We’ll all make it.  We’ll all make choices.  We’ll all make time for the things that are truly important to us and to those we love.  We’ll make memories.  We will make it!

Wishing everyone a joyful and intentional holiday season.