Tending to Details again!

I'm chuckling to myself as I begin this post because I don't know where I've been of late...but not here! Tending to Details, I guess! With the Turkey Holiday so closely chasing the feathers of the next one...well, I'm smothering already in tasks! We've lost a week this year and I'm just realizing that I'm a tad behind. I enjoyed the candied yams and cranberries just a bit too much! So, if you're anything like me you're in need of a jumpstart and some organizational tools to stay afloat. With Chanukah and Christmas so close together this year we all are in a bustle, if this is the holiday you celebrate. Simplify now and you won't get caught missing out. If you can't get to holiday cards, save them for Valentines Day! I had a friend teach me this a long while back. I was so impressed with her that she didn't cause herself alot of strife at Christmas! She simply saved her cards and family photos until Valentines Day when the hustle bustle is over. People are really happy to receive a nice note and pictures of friends they don't see often at a time when we are supposed to be letting people we care about know how much we think of them. So, toss that task aside for now, if need be. With the shopping, well, we all are feeling the punch this year, I'm sure. Keep it simple, keep it close to the heart and give exactly what that person needs or wants. No frills, no useless mismatched purchases just because you need a gift and stopped at the store down the street on your way by. Think it through a bit, make the extra effort but make it thoughtful and worthwhile. Don't worry how much you spend. When it's the perfect gift, you'll know it, and no dollar amount can be put on that! Take time out to sit and enjoy family and friends. A simple cup of spice tea, glass of nog or wine and a chat mean so much more than a big overdone catered affair where there are so many bodies bumping up against us that we just want to find the blinking exit sign and head for home. This isn't the purpose of a gathering but at times this is how we can feel. The decorating can become so cumbersome too so keep it simple. Let all the family members get in on the action and get creative. Outdoor lights are the most fun, just keep it simple and inviting. It's really neat to hang them at night! Put out a boom box for some inspirational holiday music, pour some hot cocoa and grab the ladder! Just be careful! A few colorful lights, window candles and a great door wreath can spruce things up and say Welcome! So, enjoy the festivities...relax and breath deep! It's all good and it should not be about stress and angst! It's about family, friends, togetherness and joy! Peace and happy holidays to all! Miriam