With Christmas just around the corner, I have been seeing a flood of beautiful themed posts revolving around the Holidays. I love seeing how everyone enjoys this time of year, and I know that everyone experiences the holidays differently. That being said, I have a weird thing to admit- I'm a complete Scrooge when it comes to the Holidays. Whenever the December rolls around and I hear the first Christmas song of the year, I start to lose my goddamned mind. All the sales, the panic of finding the "perfect gift", crowded shopping centers, and the pressure of feeling like I have to
enjoy myself this time of year majorly freaks me out. Sure, this might be a dramatic and adverse reaction to the "most wonderful time of the year", but for a closet introvert and agoraphobic like me, thing's aren't always as they seem.
I put a lot of thought into why I'm this way and never really settled on a real answer. Maybe working retail for years could be a big reason? Perhaps this is my inner rebel that tries to boycott all things popular and mainstream? Or maybe the Krampus is my secret spirit animal? No matter the reason, I've realized that I can't pretend that I'm Mother Christmas and do all of the festive things I would love to do. I used to beat myself up about getting moody during Christmas and over my lack of control when it comes to instinctively slapping the radio off when a holiday song comes on. The truth is, I am seriously envious when I see all of these other bloggers posting those amazing gift guides, beautiful gift wrapping techniques and recipes that make your mouth water. I want so badly to participate in these beautiful, festive posts but alas, my inner Scrooge is stopping me!
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Isn't Sabina from Jeans and Roses lovely? Her festive flatlays are just too good. This is one of hers! ^^ |
It's taken me a while to write this post because I originally had a gift guide and festive Christmas recipes on my blog planner for this week but I just wasn't
passionate about it. I love giving gifts, but I do that year round when I see something that catches my eye for someone else. I love baking, but I don't want to feel pressured to make things that fluctuate depending on the season (like I said, inner rebel coming out). Sure, my thoughts definitely could change in the future, but this is how I really am right now. In hopes there are some of you that can relate, I put together a little survival guide for my fellow Scrooges out there who are just like me during the holidays. I hope you enjoy!
Do's and Don'ts
- Don't feel pressured by what others are doing. Just because your neighbor has a gigantic Christmas tree with all the trimmings, doesn't mean YOU need one! I was always really hard myself over this because growing up, my family got away with the bare minimum- An unconventional white tree, outfitted with red lights and bulbs nonetheless. We lovingly called it the "burning bush" and when we approached the house, it appeared to be on fire from its red glow burning within the windows. I would go to friend's houses and they would have tinsel, beautiful ornaments, seasonal soaps, beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree and candy canes in fancy bowls. I would be sad that all we had was an ugly tree with the same old busted ornaments the cat had been knocking around for several years prior. I grew up and learned that it's OK to lack seasonal adornments! Decorating the house is great and it looks soo beautiful but it's just not me. And hey, I end up using all of that extra storage space for clothes anyways.
- Don't just buy because you feel like you should. With all of the sales flying around, it's nearly impossible to not jump on them. Sure, it might be a great deal, but do you really need a new blender? This can also go for giving gifts. We've all had this happen to us where we hear someone we don't know well has bought us a gift. It's so easy to just turn to the sale page and buy some gadget with great value that is otherwise a gift the receiver would not enjoy. Instead, stop and think about these purchases and consider making something homemade instead. Not only will it save you money, but a homemade gift like cookies, a hand drawn portrait of their pet, or even a knitted scarf could say more than a store bought item ever could. Plus, you'll will now look crafty as hell. Bonus!
- Do plan "me" time. It's so easy to feel smothered by the sudden onslaught of friends and family, so planning "me" time is extremely important. By stepping away to take a hot shower or even a walk, you'll feel so much better and ready to tackle the festivities. I find that treating myself to a little something as well makes the Holidays a little more exciting, so I will buy myself the lipstick I have been lusting over, or a new Korean facial cleanser I'm interested in trying.
- Do understand the power of the thank you note. This one goes without saying, but I think it's often forgotten and lost in all of the festivities. A handwritten thank you note goes a really long way for those kind enough to give you a gift. I save all of the envelopes with everyone's addresses in a big pile and systematically work through it, addressing an envelope and tossing the corresponding wrap in order. I personally love writing thank you notes, especially when you can find the cutest ones ever at Target! I scored some with cats and dead mice on the front!
- Don't beat yourself up. Hey, it took me 26 years to publicly admit that the holidays weird me out, but it is what it is. I always felt really bad about this because Holidays bring so much joy to other people and there's never been much to say about them, for me. I would try to make myself into a Christmas lover, but I learned that if you force yourself to "enjoy" something, you will resent it even more in the long run. While I love to give gifts and dress up, I'm a huge bucket of stress with a bare apartment and sudden hatred of crowded public places. As I get older, I realize that it's just part of who I am that I can't cover up. If you're not comfortable and don't like something, you shouldn't try to make myself enjoy it because other people do.
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Our "tree" is sadder than Charlie Brown's :( |
I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts and PLEASE don't take this post as me knocking down anyone who loves holidays because that is definitely
not my intention. I love reading everyone's posts about their seasonal adventures, gift guides (so handy!), DIY crafts and I love seeing the holidays through everyone else's eyes. I think the Holidays are beautiful and fun when someone else is enjoying them, but for me, I'll be hanging back with a mug of hot chocolate, watching A Christmas Carol :)