I think it all depends on how you plan and what you are doing. We don't travel. We are lucky in this, but throwing travel on top of the normal Christmas stuff and the stress can shoot through the roof.
Our most stressful Christmas was the year Nick's folks took Nick, myself, and a two year old Turbo to Vermont for Christmas. Nick's brother lived there and we stayed with him and his partner. There were nice things about the trip, but it was also very stressful. We vowed to never travel at Christmas again and to never travel with Nick's parents again.
We try to keep Christmas as stress free and fun and memory filled for the boys as we can. Christmas eve at Nick's folks with good food, present opening and Skype with Nick's bother in New York. We then drive around a bit for Christmas light looking and then home to open new Christmas jammies. We put out cookies and milk (or Christmas milk) and carrots. Then it's time for a check on Santa's location one last time and read The Night Before Christmas and send little boys to bed.
Christmas morning dawns as early as little boys insist we get up. We have the grandparents over and make breakfast. After everyone goes home,we have time clean up, play with new stuff and then we take the boys over to Nick's cousin's house. They have two kids about our boys ages and it's fun to get together with family. We split the food duties and just relax and hang out.
See, Christmas with family and we keep it as low key as possible. Christmas is about family and getting together and enjoying the season. It helps that it usually looks like Christmas outside. Snow on the ground is very important for that Christmas feel. It's even more magical when it snows on Christmas and gives us a truly white Christmas.
We still have a few Christmas things to do with the boys. Sunday is cookie making. I'm hoping to find a gingerbread house or two to let the boys decorate. I'm contemplating some crafts for them to do too. Not that I'm crafty, but two weeks of home together is staring me in the face. We have to have something to do with them.
So, is it the most wonderful time of the year? Spin it up and link up with Gretchen and Ginny Marie, they would love to have you!
I love that your Christmas is laid back and enjoyable! I do have to travel for Christmas, and even though we want to see my family, it does get stressful.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote a post about how to make salt dough ornaments with cookie cutters, if you are looking for an easy craft!
http://www.lemondroppie.com/2013/12/how-to-make-salt-dough-ornaments/
Have a wonderful Christmas this year!
Yes, yes, YES about the traveling. We used to go to NY every year, and I finally had to put a stop to it. It's the WORST time to travel, and we all ended up more stressed than merry. I love that your Christmas is so nice and relaxed!
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for linking! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Sounds like you have a wonderful plan of inaction! Keeping things simple is not easy for my family but we are doing better. Merry Christmas to a person that lives in a beautiful part of the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I don't have to travel for the holidays. I feel bad for my brothers who do. Two of them live out of state, and then their in-laws live in yet a third state, so they are traveling all over the place!
ReplyDeleteA lot of my friends are talking about keeping this year simple, too. I think many people are tired of the hectic season. Much better to stay focused on what's important!