That time of year...

It's here it's really really here! Christmas season is upon us once again! I am one of those freaks who absolutely LOVE Christmas! From decorating, to baking, to family traditions, this time of year puts a big ol grin on this girl's face : ) Although, even with all the joy Christmas brings me there is always that little bit of stress that sneaks in. Usually it's the gift giving that stresses me out. I love giving gifts I just don't love the aftermath it leaves on my wallet. This year I decided to not let stress get in the way of any of our holiday happiness! This year is the first year I'm able to stay home with my little ones and truly enjoy the magic that Christmas brings. So I came up with a plan to defeat stress.

1. Create a Christmas binder to help keep me organized and stay on track with what needs to get done for the holidays. ( I will be posting about this in depth soon so stay tuned!) 
2. Simplify gift giving. Our family decided to do a "secret Santa" this year so we picked names and only have to buy for that one adult rather than having to get gifts for everyone. This is not including the kids they will still be just as spoiled as always : ) My friends and I are doing a cookie swap night instead of a gift swap. I think this will end up being more fun and save some money. A win win situation. As adults we try so hard to please everyone and make sure to give gifts to as many people as possible but when it comes right down to it it's not the gift that's important it's sharing your time and making memories that really matters. So that's what we are trying to do more of this year!
3. Enjoy the moment. I'm going to try to enjoy this season with my family and make the most out of it from decorating, to movies, to looking at lights, to reading our Christmas favorites, to finding Elfie (our elf on the shelf) every morning, etc. I want to enjoy this season with my kids while they are little and still believe and not get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas. 

Christmas is really a wonderful time of year if you don't let the stress creep in and  ruin it. Simplifying Christmas and appreciating it for what it's true meaning is what it's all about. We let the stress cloud our happiness too often and lose sight of what's really important. As a child we had massive Christmas's and yes I was always pleased to see that Santa came but it's really the traditions of Christmas that I remember the most. I want my children to remember Christmas not because of the presents but because we made Christmas magical for them. I encourage everyone to simplify your Christmas this year. Try to remember the importance of the holiday and not to get caught up in everything else that really doesn't matter in the end.