Christmas Crash

Yep, I did it again. In trying to keep the Yuletide burning bright, I totally overdid things. My body let me know what it thought about that tradition yesterday. I could barely move. Most uncool. ;)

Is it part of our human nature to make the holidays as wonderful as possible? I actually feel guilt over Christmas cards that didn't get sent this year. (I made a valiant effort, but did not get a card sent to everyone that I normally do.) And my mother's gift is still sitting on my piano bench---a testimony that the gray cells don't function as well as they used to. (It didn't click that I'd left it there until we were pulling in my mother's driveway down in Utah. I still can't believe I forgot it.)

I made a plethora of food and Christmas candy. Then after consuming my share of the goodies, my stomach rebelled. Toast wasn't even my friend yesterday.

What makes me sad is that I absolutely love the holiday season. I love hearing from friends and loved ones who also make a valiant effort to send out Christmas cards. It's the only time I hear from some of them.

I love Christmas music, I love the lights, and I especially love the reason for the season. As I'm busy bustling around, I figure it's my way of showing love and respect for our Elder Brother by doing as much good for other people as I possibly can. I participated in the Toys for Tots drive our valley sponsored yet again this year. I made well over 25 plates of candy to take around to neighbors and friends. And I did my best to make or purchase thoughtful gifts for loved ones. Even the one still sitting on my piano bench contains items that I know my mother will love . . . eventually.

I guess my question today (and yes, I'm a day late with this post . . . I do apologize) is: have we made the holidays more complicated than they need to be? Is it good to go around in a brain stupor for a couple of days afterward because we pushed ourselves beyond what our bodies (mine in particular) consider cool? Am I the only one who runs myself into the dirt each holiday season? I don't think so. I saw a similar glazed look on my mother's face a couple of days ago. She did most of the holiday baking in her abode this year since my youngest sister is still recovering from a car wreck she endured earlier this month. Then I arrived and took over the the helm . . . after already doing so in our realm. (We didn't head down to my mother's house until the day after Christmas.)

I'm already making myself a list of do's and don'ts for next year, in the hopes that it won't be as crazy as this year was. Any bets I'll ignore it? ;) What think the rest of you about this strange phenomenon? And what can we do to change things around? I seriously doubt our Elder Brother likes it when we make ourselves sick on His behalf. I suspect He likes it better when we strive to be more like Him all year long---stretching things out so it's not all clumped up together at the end of the year.

That's my goal for this coming new year---to slow down, savor the good stuff, and ignore my overactive conscience that constantly harps about the items I did not accomplish. I may not succeed, since being an overachiever seems to run in my bloodlines, but I'm going to give it a shot. (Bad diabetic pun) I would like to live to see other Christmas holidays. Words to live by . . . literally. =D