Getting Ready for Christmas

I'm sure many of us are going through the same thing right now. Trying to figure out how to make the holidays special, without going insane in the process. I've gotten the holiday decorations up (minus the tree). That's a 4 hour project between getting stuff out, going through it, putting it out, and cleaning up the remainders. Next we have to think about getting tree. At just the right time, so it doesn't get too dried out, but so that we aren't so late that we're stuck with the dregs at the tree lot (we always get a tree from the same place, where the people own the tree farm in Wisconsin, and they always give the kids candy canes). So you have to pick the right weekend. But they all seem so busy (this upcoming weekend especially.....concerts, operas, seeing friends, etc.). A conundrum to be sure.

Then there are the gifts. The non-family gifts have to be organized, bought and/or put in the mail. Those are easy to put on a list and check off. Then the family. Mother-in law, husband, kids (not a big family to be sure). The kids want everything, Ken Doll and his mom want nothing. So it's how to make Christmas a special time, without focusing on the gifts? Or rather without focusing on the 12 pages of American Girl Doll stuff A thinks she wants? (a big hint, she's not getting any American Doll stuff this year). What will make a lasting impression? What makes the holiday special? How do I tell A she's not getting any of the 600 things on her well documented list?

I'm hoping to carry on a family tradition, that we haven't had in 25 years, since my great aunt, Tante Emma died......kringles to hang on the tree. I don't know what they are really called, but they are crispy meringues in very simple shapes (circles, squares, diamonds) that you hang on the tree and then.....eat. They melt in your mouth. I don't have Tante Emma's recipe, but I'm hoping I can basically figure it out. And now of course, I have to find a chunk of time to do this (with the girls). You can see the kringles in the vintage photo above.

Oh and have I mentioned that Ken Doll's birthday is in December, and A's birthday party is in December too (her birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year!)?

I think I will focus on the experiences of the holiday season. Making cookies or kringles. Shopping with the girls for Ken Doll and for the family we're donating to with some of our neighbors. Making fires, enjoying the decorations, drinking hot mulled wine, being with friends, going to see Amahl and the Night Visitor with A this weekend, the school holiday concerts (always a highlight), A's chorus concert, etc. And will try to keep in mind that celebrating this way is a privilege, and not a burden. It is what we make of it.

Oh, and who does that 3 year old Doll look like anyway? Many of you will be able to guess!

And in 10 or 20 years, some of the stuff will have made a lasting impression (I still remember getting white go-go boots when I was 3 or 4, shown above), but mostly I remember the kringles.