The world wide web is filled with all kinds of glorious holiday goodness right now.
It's the beginning of a new month and crafty bloggers (including me over at Webster's Pages) will be telling you all kinds of cool things you could be doing to make your home more holiday-laden.
I love these blogs for the same reason I love Pinterest. Pure eye candy, plain and simple.
But for whatever reason, I'm conditioned to perform. Not on a stage (not anymore) but there's this thing inside me that feels an incredible need to achieve. And at this time of year, that need gets kicked up into hyperactive overdrive.
If you happen to be a novelist/working mom/stay-at-home mom/harried/tired/worked to the bone type of woman, pull up a chair and let's talk for a minute.
Let's just be real.
Girls. (And boys?) I'm overwhelmed.
None of us can do it all.
I was pretty pleased we got our tree up...this was a huge accomplishment over the weekend given the way I've been feeling lately. But then I started flying around the internet and realized that wow, I don't have anything else to offer. My crafting is for assignment purposes so I can't share it. I don't have the time to paint or even create handmade gifts right now. My writing is for deadline.
My creativity is all tapped, assigned to other places...like my job, my kids, my books.
And as I click out of all these beautiful, gorgeous, jaw-dropping blogs, I think Gosh, I am not going to inspire anyone this holiday season.
And Wow, my house isn't Christmas-y at all yet...except for the tree...but that laundry basket full of unfolded clothes sort of ruins the effect.
And Let it be said that some people can't be trusted with Oreos in the house. At least not when they're Double Stuf.
(It's all related somehow, I know it is.)
But here's the important thing. Here's what I"m trying to grasp...ways to fight this overwhelming feeling at Christmas...this need to compare and do and create and inspire...
And so far, this is what I've come up with:
1. Christmas will still be magical even if I don't make a single holiday craft.
2. My house is still cozy even without detailed touches in every nook and cranny... if I concentrate on picking up, keeping things orderly and then focus on the people in the house, I'm going to come out on top.
3. I can admire the homes and crafts of my friends and fellow bloggers without walking away feeling insecure about my own productivity. Or lack thereof. We all do what we can...and that's enough. It's enough.
4. I can support handmade artists and give handmade gifts without having to be the one to craft them. It's okay. I'll live to create again.
5. The real nostalgia behind Christmas isn't wrapped up in home decor or holiday tutorials. I may not have a wealth of inspiration hidden in my back pocket to share with you on my blog...but I can still participate in Christmas. It doesn't banish me to the sidelines.
Here's the deal. Do what you can. Enjoy your holidays. Don't let them scream on by while you take your harried, frazzled self to bed at 2 a.m. every night lamenting all you didn't do.
It's Christmas. The only time of year you get to hear "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime" 100x a day!
And if you're one of those crafty mamas who has creative things to share...share away! And know that those of us who can't will be admiring all of it...and taking notes for next year.
Do what you can.
This year, instead of worrying about all I'm not doing...I'm going to make a point to focus on what I can do...to focus on what matters...
Jesus. Family. Tradition. Friends. The sights. The sounds. The smells.
And I'm going to let the hard work and creativity of others fill up my tank.
And that is perfectly magical.
