“The Holiday Survival Blog”
“Holiday” by definition, is “leisure time away from work devoted to REST or PLEASURE”. Ok, so why do we all look, seem and feel so stressed out? How come I needed a few days to recover from my Thanksgiving “Holiday”? We have all of these unbelievable demands put on us, my Family (the Primary Culprit), Friends, Work, and Society. Have we, in fact, destroyed the Holidays and replaced them with frenzied festivals of chaos? It kind of feels like it. Every day since December 1 my wife and I have compared Task Lists in preparation for the Christmas-New Year “Festival”. Our conversations begin with “Don’t forget...” or “When you’re out, could you...” . Phase One is ON! Phase One you say? Yes the “Three Phases of The Holiday Season”:
Phase One-“Pre Game”: This is BY FAR the worst Phase! It might be the most STRESSFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! (Any Carol Writers out there?). Lists, Christmas Parties (Didn’t they used to be fun?), Rushing Around, Crowds (try Amazon!), Family Event and Accommodation Planning (Airport Runs!), Juggling Parents, Step Parents, Kids, Step Kids, Food Planning and Shopping (this remains constant in all Phases!), Work (like anybody is really working!), Spouses, Pets, and Lists! (It needed to go in here twice! I have List Nightmares!) If you can survive the “Pre Game” without incident, you can usually manage a little fun in the next Phase.
Phase Two-“The Events”: You need to be prepared to attend at LEAST two functions per day even if they are quick “Stop Ins”. This Phase is ALL about being SOMEPLACE at someone else’s TIME! NIGHTMARE! Learn the phrases “Sure” and “If you want to honey”. You’ll need them and a little booze.
Phase Three-“The Aftermath”: Hopefully you made it, marriage, liver and sanity in tact. Phase Three is the best phase. It’s usually the week between Christmas and New Years. Everyone is running on fumes so you won’t be pulled in a million different directions and can actually...just maybe RELAX!
I’ve been through 48 mostly wonderful and certainly blessed Christmas Seasons! Please accept these “10 Tips for Surviving The Three Phases” as my gift:
Merry Christmas and Happy “Holidays”. See you in 2012!
William Prettyman