Dear Ms. Mabel,

It’s only early November and I’m already burned out for the holidays. There’s so much to do, gifts to buy, food to make, decorating, places to go and let’s not forget all the extra stuff the kids have to do this time of year. I can’t help but long for simpler times when the holidays were just magical on their own. How do we bring this back?

Season’s Stressings,

Springfield, TN

Truth be told, you got it wrong, sister. The holidays have never actually been “simple.” It just felt that way to YOU because you weren’t the one making the magic happen. 

Now, listen here – it IS a lot of work.  I’m not arguing with you on that point. Lord only knows the countless hours I’ve spent sweating out magic during the holidays. I know y’all young folk hate when we say stuff like “one day you’re gonna miss this,” but darn it, it’s true. You get about 9 or 10 good years of true Christmas magic with your kids and it’s a shame when it’s gone. 

But I won’t harp on that. 

Let’s focus on practical ways you can beat the burnout and calm the chaos: 

‍Get Organized. You wanna know why your grandmother’s Christmas dinner always goes off without a hitch? She started planning the thing back in September. I guarantee her shopping list is already made and her to-do list is ready to check off. To me, this is the key to a low-stress holiday. 

Take a few hours before things get busy and make a list of EVERYTHING you have to do until the end of the year … every family gathering, every person to buy for, every extra activity and all the cleaning and decorating to be done. It will feel overwhelming at first, but it’s like my husband used to say, “The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.” 

Now, don’t stop there. Start making a detailed list of everything needed to accomplish each task. Plan the meals/dishes you’ll need to take and make a grocery list. Decide on a food prep schedule so you aren’t doing everything at once. List the extra activities and what’s required of you, then put it on a family calendar. Go ahead and pick out what your children will be wearing to these gatherings. Determine cleaning tasks for everyone living in your house, WITH DUE DATES. 

Finally, make yourself a master to-do list for every week and follow it. This will allow you to be present in the moment and when surprises do come, it won’t be that big of a deal. 

Forget the word “perfect.” I’m gonna tell you right now, the only perfect human to ever exist was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so don’t go ruining His birthday by making yourself miserable. No matter how well you plan, at some point something is gonna go off the rails. 

Every year, I burn the rolls at Thanksgiving. Doesn’t matter what I do, without fail, we’re scraping black char off the top of our bread. But you know what? It has never prevented Santa from coming, not a single time. Furthermore, no one’s coming to your house and examining your baseboard. Go ahead and let that mess go. 

Do more of what makes you happy.  While you’re running around with tinsel in your hair and powdered sugar on your nose, don’t forget that you’re in charge of your own happiness, too. Figure out what makes the holidays more magical for yourself and set aside time to meet that need as often as you can. For me, it’s the quiet of the morning with a cup of coffee in a room lit by twinkle lights. For you, it might be different. Just figure out what that is and do it. 

Well, I hope this list can help you feel a little better about what’s coming. Just get organized as much as you can, let go of being perfect, put some holly in your own jolly, and you’ll be fine.

I love you, darlin’; I’ll be praying for you. 

And if you haven’t already, you’re hearing it here first … Merry Christmas!