The Holidays Are Here! (?)

I can’t recall if, at the start of the year, I resolved to feel more prepared for the holidays, if only from a business perspective, with inventory planning, a holiday drop, a gifting collection, a shopping guide. By summertime though, I really did think I should, I could, I will be “ready.” Well, we’re eight days away from Christmas and I’m once again confronting that I may be someone who is always excited, never prepared.

As the second half of the year progressed I felt increasingly like I’m somewhere between stretched and drowning. Was there always this much to do? For the first time in my life I’ve wondered if I might have undiagnosed ADHD.

A few weightier contributors to my mental load are: the application period for Jasper’s kindergarten placement runs from 12/9-1/23 and I’ve been arranging open house attendance, scheduling assessments, and answering forms as part of this gauntlet, the rush to get through one more set of kiln firings for holiday shipment, deadlines such as my biennial filing for my LLC and a required gas meter inspection, and planning a belated Christmas gathering in January which will then be followed by a birthday party for Jasper two weeks later. For the Christmas gathering, I’ve begun to tidy up our basement which by artist workspace standards is perfectly acceptable (perhaps even well-kept), but by regular standards would reasonably be described as a shit show.

But don’t get me wrong, I’m still really loving this holiday season despite my rant above. Our Christmas tree brings me joy throughout the day, displaying our treasured ornament collection that has grown over the years. And there’s nothing better than string lights for instant ✨ambiance✨. NYC had a beautiful snowfall that coated the trees in that magical winter wonderland way, we’ve had school parties, hot cocoa and danish cookies, holiday movie nights and Jasper’s first trip to the movie theater, advent chocolates, holiday crafts, and just this morning I had a really yummy ginger orange latte with pistachio milk from a cafe near school after drop off and before my ferry to the office. We’ve also begun unwrapping and re-reading our holiday themed books.

Kev and I have done a better job of staying on top of our holiday shopping this year, saving us a measure of stress.

And in plant lady news, I finally got myself some paperwhites and an amaryllis. I’m very excited for them to bloom.

This weekend we’re having friends over for our annual gift wrapping and wine drinking get together, one of my favorite and most cherished traditions. My sister will come over sometime soon to build a gingerbread house with Jasper. There are still more books to unwrap and read. I’m already looking forward to Friday movie night again.

Crazy, hectic, productive, stressful, joyful. All the things. The holiday season has delivered.