Frantic Friday #8 - How Many Days Left? Aack!

Today is the Friday before Christmas. (I don't count next Friday because it is Christmas Eve, and as far as I am concerned, that is also Christmas.)  Today is the traditional day for women to look at the calendar and freak out. Men of course will wait until Christmas Eve to freak out.

The following things will occur to us:

1. We are still missing presents.
2. We have not mailed all the Christmas cards. Please Note: We have mailed the first batch of cards, it is the second group, the cards that go to the unexpected people who sent us cards, that we haven't sent out.
3. We have no idea what we are serving for Christmas Dinner.
4. We have not wrapped a single gift.
5. The house is a mess.
6. We only have X days until the Mother In Law arrives.
7. We are stressed.
8. The kids will be home from school for 2 weeks. Please Note: Depending on the age of your children, this is either a good or a bad thing.
9. We haven't finished the homemade gifts we planned to give out.
10. We are NOT ready for the holidays.

If you made it through that list and have not felt your heart tighten and your breathing shallow, then I congratulate you on a job well done.  For most of us, this list is far too close to home.

So this week is the traditional "Don't Sleep Until You Have It Finished" week.  By next week you will see an army of sleep deprived people walking around after their attempts to "deck the halls" has left them grumpy and exhausted.

What advice do I have, you might ask? It is the same advice I gave in the last blog...simplify!  Figure out what is important, what you can realistically do, and pace yourself.  This holiday will happen whether or not you are ready, and whether or not you are stressed. Your choice.

Happy Holidays!