Holiday Preparations

Thanksgiving preparations, you must be thinking, right? You, like I, may be hosting Thanksgiving dinner in just two short days, complete with two turkeys. Perhaps you, like I, need to clean your house. Perhaps you, like I, have just plenty to think about that needs to get done this week, no, that needs to get done today. So really, Thanksgiving is what should be on our minds. Right?

No (and perhaps this is a bad case of procrastination). You see, for the past several years we have set out to have the materialistic part of Christmas prep done before Advent even begins. I am not the best shopper to begin with. When done in the busiest time of year, when everyone else is also shopping, and when I am trying to quiet my mind in preparation for the birth of Jesus, whew!

So this past week, I have been bustling around trying to convince myself that Christmas is actually occurring this week. Not the real Christmas, but the presents part of it. You know how we are: we try to make as many of our presents as possible, try to give meaningful gifts, etc. But there are still little things that need to be purchased, whether they're books, socks, or supplies for your crafts. I may or may not have even spent this past weekend listening to Christmas carols (oh, I know, what a bad Catholic thing to do!).

There are a lot of things we will be doing in the days following Thanksgiving: spending time with friends and family, perhaps spending some time outdoors, and this next Sunday, starting the hard work that is waiting for something pretty magnificent to happen (Zosia just walked up to me and said, "Mommy, I want Advent to be short this year, because I really want it to be Christmas!" I get the feeling!). And in the weeks of Advent, I hope to make many thoughtful things, share our bounty with dear friends and beloved family, and really enjoy what it means to be waiting for Jesus to be in our midst. But thankfully, going to the mall will not be on my schedule.

I'll try to be back here between now and Thanksgiving, perhaps to share a favorite recipe. What are you making? Where are you going?

(And for those receiving gifts from us, don't worry, I haven't already made this year's Christmas cookies. These pictures are some of my favorite things from Advents past).