Advent, the weeks before Christmas, is a time meant to be spent in expectation and waiting. There are many ways to cultivate this time of hope and anticipation for the coming of the Christ-child. The first common practice is the Advent wreath. Crafty families sometimes make their own. We bought ours. The Advent wreath is round, symbolizing God’s mercy and never-ending love. It is made of evergreens, reminding us of God’s “everlastingness,” as well as new life. The purple candle reminds us that Advent is a time to ask for and give forgiveness. The pink is symbolic of joy and hope in awaiting the Infant Jesus. Each Sunday of Advent, as part of morning or evening prayer, one new candle is lit. A nice song to accompany this, or any other prayer time, is “O Come O Come Emanuel.” This hymn beautifully expresses the themes of Advent.

When lighting the Advent candle, one may also take this time to add other meaningful practices. The Gospel of the day can be read or windows on an Advent calendar can be opened (these can be homemade or purchased). Symbols can be added to a Jesse tree (see below), details can be added to the crèche, or the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary can be prayed.

A Jesse Tree is based on the verse Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” The Jesse Tree is hung with ornaments representing the Old Testament people and events, the roots of Jesus. Jesse tree kits can be ordered or the ornaments can be made from scratch. There is one ornament for each day of Advent, and each has a scripture reading. Further, this can be used as a tool to learn more and teach your children about Old Testament figures.

On the first Sunday of Advent, which is the beginning of the new year of the Church, one tradition we hope to cultivate is that of choosing a patron saint for the liturgical year. One could simply each pick a saint for himself, or, for more excitement, each family member selects a saint, which is then placed into a hat. All family members draw their saint for the year at random. This saint can be invoked every morning as part of morning prayer. In some traditions, each person studies the life of their respective saint and at some time during the year, tells the entire family his/her story.

While the hat is out, another nice idea is to have a paper with the name of each family member. Everyone chooses a name (not his own) from the hat, and then has the task of performing daily little surprise favors for the individual they drew until Christmas day (for example, making their bed, picking up their toys, praying a rosary for them-then informing them on a little holy card). The tradition is known as Christkindl (Christ Child),` and the person under your care then becomes for you the little helpless Christ in the manger, so these acts of kindness are done, in a sense, for the Infant of Bethlehem.

One of my favorite customs is the Advent practice of writing a letter to the Holy Child (rather than Santa) mentioning resolutions for the weeks of Advent and listing all gift wishes. This letter is then placed on a windowsill, and the Guardian Angel (or St. Nicholas) will deliver the letter to Heaven and read it to the Infant Christ.

The Christmas crib, a practice dating back to St. Francis, is a common Catholic idea. The crèche and manger scene is set, with an empty crib. Or, some families opt to slowly add figurines and pieces throughout Advent (except the Magi, they come at the Feast of the Epiphany). On Christmas morning, Jesus is placed in his crib, traditionally by the youngest child able to do so. Another way to add to this lovely custom is to keep a bag full of straw. Each evening, after family prayers, each child takes as many pieces of straw from the bag as he has performed sacrifices, prayers, and good works (including those he has performed for Christkindl) during that day in order to please the Infant Jesus. The hope is to encourage the spirit of Christmas giving and love so that Christ has a soft bed upon which to lie on his birthday.

The final week before Christmas (December 17 through December 23) is the time for the O Antiphons. These are brief, scripturally based prayers, based on the titles for Christ revealed in Isaiah. These can be read each evening of this week while lighting the Advent candles; the pertinent scriptures can also be read.

On Christmas Eve, we hope to foster the tradition of reading aloud the Nativity story (many choose to read St. Luke’s account). This is the perfect opportunity for the first chance to sing “Silent Night.” We also want to observe the tradition of waiting until Christmas Eve day to decorate the Christmas tree, and then keep it up until the Vigil of the Epiphany.

The custom of central Europe, France, Spain, and Central and South America is that the Christ Child with his angels, trims the tree and leaves the presents rather than Santa. Some families I know attribute the gifts to St. Nicholas. In Irish families, Christmas Eve begins the lighting of the “Great Christmas Candle,” which is large enough to last the twelve days of Christmas, and is traditionally red.

One way to beat consumerism is to make it a custom to give at least some homemade gifts; this is a very fun way to incorporate young children into the giving of the season. Other families try to give one gift per person in honor of St. Nicholas, and three family gifts in honor of the gifts of the three Wise Men. The family gifts are items that everyone can enjoy, such as games, books, movies, etc.

Spend Christmas day listening to and contemplating sacred and holiday music as a family. Throughout the season of Christmas, until Epiphany, family prayers can be said around the crib and beside the Christmas tree.

A nice practice for Epiphany is to burn frankincense and myrrh, two of the precious gifts given by the Magi to the baby Jesus. In some areas, it is common to inscribe the initials C (Caspar), M (Melchior) and B (Balthazar) above the front door in honor of the three Magi. This is written with blessed chalk, and the initials are enclosed by the year and connected with crosses (for example: 20+G+M+B+09). The letters, in addition to the names of the Wise Men, also represent the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat (Christ bless this house). Additionally, Epiphany the day for taking down the Christmas tree, as the Christmas season ends.

It may not be practical to attempt all of these Christmas customs at once; however, I do hope to try many of them. For families who already have a routine, but are hoping for a bit more ‘Christ’ in Christmas, gradually add customs and rituals to your norm, and plan to retire a secular activity with each sacred one you add.

Here’s to happy and holy holidays! Merry Christmas!


Copyright 2009 Ericka Soileau

At the end of the season I usually take all of the Christmas cards we’ve received and pack them away
with the ornaments and decorations. Then, the next year when I open the tubs again, I find them there waiting for me. I read them again and find that I enjoy reading the letters as if for the first time.  It also helps me remember who sent a card last year so I don’t forget them this year. Through the years I’ve found ways to either preserve the cards for myself, or pass them on to someone else.  Either way, the card is recycled and not destroyed.

1. Frame them. If they touch your heart, put them in a nice frame. If they’re just something  that helps set the mood for the holiday, a clear acrylic frame will do the job. Most cards will fit in a standard 5 x 7″ frame. You can then pack it away for next year, or put a new card in front of it when the next holiday comes along. I have done this not only with Christmas cards, but Valentine and Mother’s Day cards. It helps keep the sentiment in front of me for more than a few seconds!

2. Decorate frames. Cut the artwork out of the card and apply Mod Podge (TM) to protect it. Follow  the directions on the bottle. Once the artwork is dry and ready to use, glue it to an acrylic or plain wooden frame. Include a picture and give it to a friend.

3. Make a card. Cut the front and glue it to a piece of cardstock to make your own card for someone else. Or, cut out shapes and use them to make your very own original! Get creative and use cutouts from several cards to make your own.

4. Posters. Take these cutouts and glue them to construction paper or poster board. Grandparents
love homemade projects.

5. Gift tags. Either use the front of the card whole, punch a hole in it and tie it to your package with a ribbon, or cut out the trees, snowmen, Santa and do the same. You can also use this artwork to
decorate packages you’ve wrapped in craft paper.

There is no right or wrong way to do any of this. Make this a family night project and let everyone get involved. You’ll be making memories of your own as you work together as a family.

Copyright 2002 Joyce Moseley Pierce. Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of Emerson Publications. She is the creator of “All They’ll Need to Know,” a workbook to help families record personal and financial information. ISBN 0-9725726 http://www.emersonpublications.com/pages/843554/index.htm. She is also the editor of The Family First Newsletter, an ezine for families with young children. Subscribe

Additional Recycling Ideas:

Every year we spend hours personalizing, signing, addressing, stamping and mailing our holiday greeting cards.  This year we asked the moms  to share their ideas for “recycling” the many beautiful cards we receive from family and friends.  Here are their ideas:

• We make a collage on two pieces of red construction paper taped vertically to form about the size of a placemat.  I then cover it in contact paper trim the edge and we have holiday placemats for the kitchen.  I also do the same with each child’s (and parents) birthday cards to use through out the year.  Ella
• I remove the front of the card (if it hasn’t been written on) and next year my kids will write something on them and we’ll go to the nursing homes and the kids will give out their Christmas cards to the residents. I’ve also used them as postcards to send thank you’s for this year’s Christmas presents. If you are a CCD teacher ask your kids to save the fronts and bring them in. Next year you can use them to make Christmas mobiles or a collage.  Sassy
• Recycle them as gift tags for next years presents….or collect Holy Family scenes and make a collage.  Little Mom
• I save the cards every year. Use them to decorate plain colored paper gift bags for next year. Just use the fronts. I have also made miniature gift boxes to put under my mini trees. This takes time and patience, but it’s a good rainy day project.  Genny
• Our girl scout troop made baskets out of the cards, filled them with lotion, candy etc. and we will be using them for Bingo prizes at an old peoples home in July. It will be a Christmas in July Bingo Party. Pretty easy to make.  Alexis
• Every year, I make a paper book to hold all of the beautiful pictures we have received from family and friends.  It is decorated with holiday paper and I also include “newsletters” we receive.  After having done this for a few years, it is fun to look back at how much children have grown and at the events in the lives of our loved ones.  Lisa

According to A Handbook of Catholic Sacramentals by Ann Ball, the famous song about the 12 Days of Christmas was written in England as a catechism song for young Catholics in the days when it was illegal to practice or teach the Catholic Faith. It contains hidden meanings intended to help children remember lessons of faith. Instead of referring to an earthly suitor, the “true love” mentioned in the song really refers to God. The “me” who receives the presents is symbolic of every baptized person.

Partridge in a pear tree – Jesus Christ, symbolized as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from helpless nestlings.

Two turtle doves – Old & New Testaments

Three French Hens – Faith, hope, charity

Four Calling birds – The Four Gospels

Five Golden Rings – The Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy)

Six geese a laying – Six days of creation

Seven Swans a swimming – 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Eight maids a-milking – 8 Beatitudes

Nine Ladies Dancing – Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Ten Lords a-leaping – 10 Commandments

Eleven pipers piping – The 11 faithful disciples

12 drummers drumming – 12 articles of the Apostles Creed

This article originally appeared at www.crossroadsinitiative.com and is reproduced here by permission of the author. For additional articles by Dr, Marcellino D’Ambrosio visit his website at www.crossroadsinitiative.com

Merry Christmas 2008 with love and prayers from the Hendey Family!
Greg, Lisa, Eric and Adam

We wish you a happy and peace filled Christmas
and a wonderful 2009!
May God richly bless you and your family
Happy Birthday Jesus!

Source

When I was growing up, my mom always took such great care to lovingly decorate our home.  Some years, I feel the urge to decorate a bit more and other years less.  This year was a great year for decorating, as Adam was a big helper and we hosted Greg’s work party, which always inspires me to take some extra steps.

Here are a few photos of our home – I’d love to see yours too, so if you post a home tour on your blog, please drop a comment below with a link so I can come visiting.  I promise to bring a tray of cookies!

Part of our outside lighting.  If it stands still, Greg will hang a strand of Christmas lights on it!
We light up the whole neighborhood.

My favorite of our Nativity Scenes.

Our guest bathroom – I try to keep the boys out of here in December!

Our “Christmas Village” – We had fun setting out all of the pieces this year!

The stockings hung by our chimney, with care, and some of my collection of angels playing the violin

A few of our favorite Santas – can you tell musicians live in my house?

Our Christmas tree and an ever present guitar in the background!

Our Advent wreath – which is also a Nativity.  This is not a very good photo of it, but I love it!

The boys’ collection of Nutcrackers standing guard over the bookshelf!

My favorite part of our Christmas decorations – our outdoor Nativity.  You will note that I have FIVE Wise Men (including twins!) and no shepherds – this is fodder for an upcoming post, but if you see any shepherds, sheep, cows, camels or other related outdoor nativity personnel for sale in your neighborhood, please purchase them for me!!  I’ll send you a check!!  I’m not really in the market for any more wise men though…

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!!

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my own doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out — over several Christmases.

Since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles; and who knows when I’ll find any more free time in the next 18 years, so now – -

*** Here are my Christmas wishes ***

* I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache (-in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don’t hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

* I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

* If you’re hauling big-ticket items this year, I’d like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

* On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, ‘Yes,Mommy’ to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don’t fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

* I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, “Don’t eat in the living room!” and “Take your hands off your brother!” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can
only be heard by the dog.

* If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

* If you don’t mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season.

* Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

* It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing, and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his red crayon back.

Have a safe trip Santa, and remember to leave your wet boots by the door, and come in and dry off, so you don’t catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always with love and appreciation,

A Mom

I may never be the perfect mother but I do know what it is like to love as a mother and now as a grandmother.  When I rock my youngest grandchild to sleep the bond of love is unbreakable.   Oftentimes I hum or sing a song that I made up just for him.  I’ve done this for all my children and grandchildren.  He recognizes it as soon as I begin and he snuggles close to me.   Slowly as I rock and sing quietly my lullaby he watches me.  He gazes into my face and then his eyes slowly begin to close until finally he gives me one last glance and then falls sound asleep.

With Christmas only a few days away I thought of how it must have been for Mary that dark night when she gave birth to Jesus.  How she wrapped him up and held him close to her heart and maybe began to soothe his cries with her voice – perhaps a lullaby she herself made up or was sung to her as a baby.   In any event, I can see this tiny baby looking up into his mother’s face and eyes and then drifting off to sleep – secure in her love.  Nothing outside her arms could ever hurt him.

As mothers we know we can never totally protect our children from the world outside our arms but we do have these moments in which we can give them that sense of security that will follow them the rest of their lives.   Jesus first experienced such love and security with his mother at the time of birth, and he continued to experience it throughout his life – even when he was placed in her arms after his death.

Mary has always been a woman and mother who I felt standing next to me all these many years.  It wasn’t until I was a mother and now a grandmother that I realized how much she loved Jesus and how much Jesus depended and counted on her love.  Just as our children count and depend on our love.

So here’s to mothers – may we always remember the sacredness of such a title even on the days when the title just doesn’t seem to fit.  It is the precious gifts given to us that give us such a title.  Below is a poem I wrote recently entitled Mary’s Lullaby – May you have a Blessed and Holy Christmas Season.

Mary’s Lullaby

In the stillness of a night
Mary cradles her newborn son.
Gently kissing his face
she sings her lullaby.

Jesus gazes upon his mother’s face,
her voice soothes his fears,
her fingers wipe away his tears.
Cuddling him close to her heart
Mary comforts her Son.

Jesus gives one fleeting glance
into his mother’s eyes
then quietly drifts off to asleep.
The bond of love is strong.

The world outside his mother’s arms
is filled with uncertainty,
but cradled in Mary’s arms
Jesus sleeps, secured from what is
and what will be.

It is her touch, her voice,
her lullaby
that comforts our Savior.
as it resonates throughout the night –
a mother’s lullaby.

By Susan Handle Terbay

Thanksgiving…..Christmas….they’re supposed to be happy and fun, you know…..almost Norman Rockwell like….. but somewhere along the way the stress, the unrealistic expectations, the unreasonable demands, and all that other negative stuff show ups and the next thing you know…..you’re depressed, over-tired, and dreading one more day during the so-called “holiday season”.

Amazingly enough, Christians seem to have the exact same issues as non-Christians. There is no apparent difference in the way they act or talk or handle the stress of the holidays. Or is there?

I could tell you that simplifying things to make it easier is a good idea, but then I’m pretty sure tipping over the Christmas tree, throwing out the lights, and using the family egg nog recipe as fireplace kindling wouldn’t count in the whole “simplifying” concept.

So how do you prioritize all that’s Christian about the holidays with all the other stuff that’s creeped in over the years? How do you satisfy your family and friends, and still be able to keep your focus on what’s truly important?

Here are some things you can do that may help you start moving in the right direction:

Start planning NOW. Decide what is truly important and necessary as a family. Having Christian priorities means putting “all that’s Christian” at the top of the holiday list. This is a great time to teach your kids the difference between giving and receiving. When your kids see that your priorities are centered around truly celebrating the real purpose of the season, it will get easier and easier for them to be a Christian at Christmas too.  Now, let me clarify. Teaching your kids about giving and receiving doesn’t mean you can tell your kids to tell Aunt Martha they can’t “receive” her favorite fruitcake because it exceeds the airline weight requirement for the trip home, and that she should “give” it to the starving children in a foreign country.

Let other family and extended family members know well in advance of your holiday season plans. Explain that as a family, you’ve decided to change your focus to things that can make a difference for someone else. Perhaps that means there will be less gift giving amongst family members and more to needy families. Or perhaps it means you won’t be spending every available dollar on decorations and holiday parties, but rather on things that will make your family truly understand and appreciate the intent of the season. It is important to set the example for all those extended family members. You’ll be surprised how others will follow your lead…..they just need someone to show them the way.

As a family, evaluate all your scheduled holiday activities. Only participate in those that you can honestly say you’re attending because they bring you joy and contribute to your Christian holiday season. If, on the other hand, you’re dreading that party or that holiday event and only attend because you feel pressure to meet the expectations of other people, then perhaps it’s time to let people in on your change in direction. It may upset some people initially, but taking back control of your holidays won’t always make everyone else happy. Pleasing God and keeping your sanity have got to have the highest priority.

There will always be pressure from other people coming at you from all directions during the holidays. Being a Christian at Christmas means you have to fight your way through the noise to get to all that’s Christian about the season. The holiday season is a great opportunity to let others see you “walk the walk” and “talk the talk”. Saying you’re a Christian is one thing……..actually being one at Christmas….shows what you’re really made of.

Give other people a break. Putting pressure on others to meet your expectations puts a lot of unnecessary stress on them because they’re facing a lot of what you’re facing during the holidays. If people can’t make it to your holiday gathering, the world won’t stop turning. Cutting people some slack will go a long way toward doing what you can to help others reduce their holiday stress level.

As a family, discuss your financial status and make a commitment not to overspend. There is nothing Christian about getting into debt just to satisfy a lot of unreasonable demands and expectations. God always looks at motive, no matter what you do. Now is the time to re-evaluate what you’re spending, and why you’re spending it. It may not be easy to change your overspending holiday habits, but it’s better to take small steps than none at all.

Of course, gift giving can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For example, in my family gift giving takes the form of an Olympic event. Having received belly-button lights which my brother helpfully described as “great for reading”, and slippers made from Kotex pads, and oh yes….let’s not forget the talking fish that was already moving under the wrapping paper before I even opened it…..well, let’s just say the attempts to out-give each other really do reach Olympic proportions.

I’m not really sure what God thinks about the motive in that scenario…..I’m just glad He has a sense of humor.

Being a “Christian at Christmas” has to be a deliberate, concentrated effort. The world continues to get more and more commercialized, so you can bet God will honor all your efforts to keep the focus where it should be. And you can also bet He’ll appreciate your efforts to set the right example for your family and friends.
Copyright 2008 Karen Wolff

This photo is a Catholic Mom’s desperate attempt to catch her eighth grade son in all his line-dancing glory!  Unfortunately, Adam’s moves were too smooth for me to capture with a camera, but the blur you see in the center of this photo was the evening’s best line dancer (not that I’m biased at all!)

Read more about our wonderful tradition of Christmas pageants over at Faith and Family Live! in my post today.  I would love to hear about the way your school or homeschooling group celebrates the Christmas season in song and celebration!

Candy Cane Cookies

Prep Time: 40 min
Total Time: 6 hours 0 min
Makes: 4 1/2 dozen cookies

1    cup sugar
1    cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2    cup milk
1    teaspoon vanilla
1    teaspoon peppermint extract
1    egg
3 1/2    cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1    teaspoon baking powder
1/4    teaspoon salt
1/2    teaspoon red food color
2    tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies
2    tablespoons sugar

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
2. Heat oven to 375ºF.
3. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
4. For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Find more cookie recipes at Faith and Family Live!

I suppose I have no one to blame but myself, after all, I didn’t have the good sense to take better care of it while it was in my possession.  Now I’m franticly searching high and low for it so it can assist me when I begin decking the halls and dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I try to know each year.

And to think this gift was entrusted to me after waiting 15 long years for it—that makes my carelessness even harder to fathom.  You see, I’m an empty nester now—well, sort of.  Since my youngest child is now attending nursery school for a few ½ days a week,

I in turn am now the sole owner of six free hours to call my own each and every week during the school year.

This may seem like no big shakes to some but to a woman who for most of her parental life has had to hide behind the shower curtain to secretly unwrap a stick of gum or make an uninterrupted phone call, thoughts of six delicious hours to be spent anyway I chose was like winning the lottery.  Do you know I purchased my 2009 calendar a year in advance just so that I could stare at the crisp, empty blocks of unscheduled time and daydream about the possibilities that lie ahead?  There was now a flickering light at the end of my overscheduled tunnel.

Those six hours were going to be a fresh new start for not only me but also my adoring family, especially during the holiday season.  With an extra 360 minutes each week I could definitely give the 12 days of Christmas new meaning. With this kind of time on my hands not only would our home be sparkling clean, each and every room (bathrooms included) would be decorated with department store glitz, gifts would be creative, purchased and wrapped weeks in advance, this year’s gingerbread house would be a triple-decker and at least one of our three Christmas trees would have a theme!  Easy, stress-free and this in just one of those six-hour time slots!

Selfishly, I wasn’t going to forget about my own needs either—a fifteen year wait certainly warrants a little “me” time, right?  Now that Christmas was well under control, there would be plenty of leftover time to catch up on my reading, complete 8 new scrapbooks for my kids, write a book, walk 10 miles instead of five, (oh what the heck, maybe train for a marathon), design next year’s flowerbeds and of course take up yoga and learn how to meditate (not medicate!) properly.  Oh, I can still feel the peace and love now.

Then just last week the unthinkable happened.  I was asked a simple question that left me completely devastated—“What are you doing with all your free time now that everyone is in school,” asked my dear friend who lives out in Colorado—mother of four, including triplets.  I’m sure she didn’t ‘mean to snicker as she stuttered the words, but it was clear she already knew what she was about to hear—my long, empty silence.

In the 12 or so weeks since school had started I couldn’t account for a single thing I had accomplished or simply indulged in during those sacred few hours I had added to my week, yet I felt more haggard than ever before.  In fact, I realized something even more upsetting, not only were my six silly hours missing in action, I had actually taken on several new projects that had turned my six plus hours into a 12 hour deficit.  This couldn’t be happening.

As I listened to the peppy tune of “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” bellowing through the house, I bravely grabbed my 2009 calendar that seemed to know more about my commitments than I did and quickly flipped it open.  January was still wide open as was the rest of the New Year ahead—if I could just protect some of this empty space throughout the coming months, the next time I’m asked how I’m spending my free time I might actually have a good answer.

Now that I have all that figured out, I can at least take better care of the remaining few free slots I have left during this holiday season.  Guess that means the theme tree and Gingerbread condo will not be part of my priorities, though maybe I’ll try and string a few lights in just one bathroom.  Instead, I will focus on appreciating how I spend my precious time, which will be the best gift I can give to myself and my family this Christmas.

GrapeVine – Breaking News: Top Catholic Songs announces top ten Christmas albums.