Tomorrow is Thanks Giving here in the US. David and I just finished saying how it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving very much this year. We are invited to his Dad's house and actually have very little prep to do for the holiday. It is his brother Richard's 50th birthday so we ordered a lovely big cake from the local bakery so I don't even have baking to do. I am not complaining - the slower pace is nice. But it feels different...
The whole holiday thing really has me thinking this year. Thinking about the what, why and how of what we celebrate. Not thinking about it in a Bah-humbug ! way - more like in a "How can I make this more meaningful ?" kind of way.
The answer so far ? I guess for me it is getting back to basics. We celebrate the holidays in order to spend time with those we love, to rejoice in what is good and to share the love we have for one another.
I am going to try and keep that in mind as I go through the preparation, the gift-buying, the planning, etc...and also on the days themselves. It is making me question each "act" that I usually would perform without so much thought, and definitely with more of a sense of urgency and stress.
This year, I hope to be a little mellower about the whole thing as I lower the expectations, examine what I really "need" to do and why I am doing it, and maybe let go of a few things or at least keep things a little more simple. It feels really good to do this - kind of like a gift to myself ! ;)
This way I can maybe get back to the basics of why we celebrate the holidays in the first place...coming together in love. Now that is definitely something worth simply celebrating !
I would like to wish all my friends celebrating Thanks Giving a wonderful day filled with memory making moments, love and laughter ! So much to be thankful for...
Cheers, Beautiful Ones !
Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteLike we were talking about -- the holidays are NOT a Hallmark card or a Hallmark moment. There is usually a lot of stress and friction around holidays where family is together. It can and often is lovely, but once we move into our own lives and then come back together again, even if only for one day, we're all different and have grown in so many ways.
The "idea" of a Hallmark moment is lovely and I think you are on the right track. Lower the expectations, be in the moments, share the love, stay mindful of what the holiday means and keep moving from that point.
Living in your heart and not your head. So much joy comes from that.
Enjoy the birthday cake, the non-preparation and the turkey dinner. And enjoy the love ♥
I couldn't agree more, I have "turned down" the holidays myself in the last
ReplyDeletefew years, made more gifts and relaxed
about the whole meal prep thing.
More time talking with family and friends and less stressful prep.
Hope your Thanksgiving/Birthday celebration is lovely and I can't wait
to catch up in person next weekend.
Hugs,
Corrine
Happy Thanks Giving! I agree too to slow down and keep it simple. I have been saying this for years and the family is starting to agree. I find it to be too much pressure and depressing in a way, when so much is hinged upon a few days a year. Having those days as special times to enjoy the love is much nicer.
ReplyDeletethanks giving is the perfect way to write this word, oh wise woman... i am sending you love and wishes for a beauty filled day...
ReplyDeletexo
Excellent choice of words...Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
ReplyDeletexo
And a very Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Queen :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Enjoy the weekend!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more my sweet friend....
ReplyDeletewe have a hard time during the holidays with no traditions... per se....since we were always on the road home to visit with everyone, nothing really happened in our own home...always grandma's house or my sister's house....
so instead of any complaints this year, I'm trying to understand it all with an open heart of just love....
Great post! Yes, it's trying to find a balance during the holidays and figuring out what truly matters. I hope you have a terrific time over the Thanksgiving long weekend!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you as well, Kim, and wish you and your husband and the rest of your family a lovely Thanksgiving. Gratitude for you :), O
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving Kim. I can so relate to your 'making it more meaningful' idea. My grandson, Kiran, is just shy of two, but at a very impressionable age, so I wanted to think of ways to make the holiday memorable. I bought a gingerbread house kit that we will all put together after dinner, and I hope that this becomes tradition. AND I bought a copy of Polar Express. Might become another.
ReplyDeletexo
A wonderful post my Queen and full of wise words as we enter the hectic holidays. A few years back I did a program called Unplug the Christmas Machine which was wonderful. It really made me take back the holidays and make them what I want them to be. I stop doing things because I should and now do things that give me the most joy. Here's to a wonderful holiday season.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you...
blessings and love you beautiful woman you!! I hope you and David share a spectacular day together today - happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeletexoxo K
Hope your holiday was warm and filling and sweet and fun just like you!!
ReplyDelete~huggies~
Melissa
Mellow is good, me thinks :-)
ReplyDeleteWe were supposed to go to Austin, TX to be with my family. One of my cats got really sick and I didn't want to leave him, so we stayed here. Despite invites, we cooked a turkey for ourselves and my stepdaughter, her hubby and 2 grandkids. It was quiet and meaningful. After dinner, she and the boys sung songs around the piano while the rest of us worked on a jigsaw puzzle. It seemed utterly perfect to me.
And yep, my ole kitty Gilligan(age 17) has pulled thru and is doing great.
Happy belated holiday.
xoxo
Absolutely!! The greatest thing is love. Love. LOVE! :)
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