I hope that you are one of the lucky ones, who can remember the magic of Christmas when you were young. The lights, the presents, the hope that Santa would show, and the missing cookies and milk in the morning. In retrospect our Christmas was never extravagant but the tree and lights always made the magic for me.
When the kids were young, I tried to create similar memories for them. But, hosting the storybook Christmas becomes harder as your children grow up, move away, and get married. Our oldest daughter lives 3 hours away. She is married to a medical professional who doesn’t get holidays off. So, we see them when we see them. It’s easy to obsess about things you have no control over. This article made me think about the things I do have control over during the holidays.
Food
Cooking is so much fun now. My gosh the extravaganza of cooking shows to watch is amazing. It’s really magical for me to watch these chefs cook. My personal favorite is Guy’s Ranch Kitchen on Food Network. The whole show takes place at his ranch and is a friendly competition. His family and dogs wander in and out, and it looks like the chefs have so much fun. And best of all they post the recipes! Thank you to all the food chefs online who share their recipes and tips. It’s so much easier to cook than it was when my mother had to do holiday cooking.
Friends
Family and friends are everything. If you won’t see family on the holiday, extend the length of the holiday and lean in on friends. Parents of young children often appreciate an offer to watch the kids while they wrap presents or shop. Invite them over. Cook for them. Go out to lunch with them.
*Pro tip: schedule holiday lunches out w/your friends early. December is super busy for many, so get dates on the calendar in August.
Decorate
Everyone in my family appreciates the lights both inside and out. Especially CC, which I discussed last year about this time. Choose your battles though. If decorations are too difficult to put up and take down, you won’t do it. I’ll definitely put my effort into a real tree though. That smell every time I walk by is everything that reminds me of Christmas when I was young.
Fitness
It’s not glamorous or glittery, but almost everyone will feel better, on any day, if you have gone on a run or spent time at a gym. As a retired person, I literally have no excuse not to make this investment in my future. Most exciting of all, I’m investing in my grandson who will be born in January 2026!
Finally, the image above is mine except for the wreath. I asked Grok to add a wreath to the image. It did. I didn’t love the wreath (looks fake) but we fought and I finally gave up.