As I make yet another trip downstairs to retrieve the tote of Christmas tree lights I also remember to grab a fresh box of tissues from the utility room.
It happens every year.
As I drag out tote after tote of my beloved Christmas decorations from their storage space under the stairs it begins. First with the runny nose and sneezing and then the headache and puffy eyes soon follow. By the time I’m done putting up decorations in every room of our home I resemble the lagoon monster from one of the old Scooby Doo episodes. One eye leaking, nose running and red from constant blowing and moaning from the headache and eyes so swollen they feel they may burst.
I lay on the couch afterwards with a compress over my eyes and wait for the allergy medicine to make me drowsy and curse what my mom calls the, “Christmas Crud”.
After being in storage for 10 months my beautiful Christmas decore is full of dust and other treasures left behind by our constant friend, the country field mice, which send my allergies into hyperdrive.
Now, I’m going to say something here that may be wildly unpopular but as I lay here thinking about my “Christmas Crud” it is just another reason I am so very thankful for the pandemic of the COVID-19 virus.
Whether you want to admit it or not this year has taught all of us to cut out the “crud” in our lives and this Christmas season must be no exception!
I hope during this season you have had more time, as I have, to truly value the things that are most important in this life, one of which being time itself. We must carefully consider the commitments we are making with our time because once it’s spent we cannot get it back. There is a no refund policy on time.
I don’t know about you but my Christmas seasons have been WAY too busy to ACTUALLY enjoy for WAY too many years! And I am very sorry to admit that it took a global pandemic to help me put my foot down against the madness that can ensue this time of year.
I will still buy gifts for my family but I refuse to rush from store to store, online or in-person, in a frenzy to get it all done on time. I have instead decided to wait for a day my husband can go with me so we can make a date of it and enjoy each other’s company for the day.
So this year when our family open their gifts not only will we have the joy of watching them open and enjoy their gifts but we’ll also have a few more “inside jokes” just for the two of us, to tuck away as a gift of our own.
I am cutting out the “Christmas Crud” this year!! Who’s with me!?
Please share your ideas below, I’d love to hear them.
May God bless you this week and this season as you work to cut the crud from your Christmas.