Bug and Bean: Simple Christmas

I have been trying hard to keep Christmas simple this year. I feel slightly more grounded than I did last year. Amelia was only six months old and I think I was still trying to adjust to having two kids, and she had just come out of her fussy phase. That really did last a long time! And on second thought I think I'm still adjusting to having two kids in some ways.
This year though I started thinking about Christmas in November, but not in a gift buying, Pinterest-frenzy kind of way, although I did start there. Christmas has always been really important and special to me, and I think the last five years or so some of the magic has been lost as I adjust to having no Christmas vacation as a nurse and usually working either the Eve or the day. On top of that I felt a little lost having a baby, another baby, and mostly just focusing on the gift buying and requesting (or requesting what gifts NOT to get the kids :) It's like I haven't yet found my Christmas groove as an adult and a mama. This year I felt really pulled to do that as I realized that at the age of 3.5 Claire is actually forming some long-term memories and she actually remembered what the deal was with this guy Santa that will probably bring her some gifts that she wants. (Although we didn't encourage list-making it would entirely consist of these.) I started off feeling kind of frenzied and overwhelmed, making lists and plans for various traditions, old and new. (Advent calendars! Waldorf advent! The Polar Express! The Nutcracker!) I'm sure it would have eventually added up to too much until somehow, I stumbled across this new (to me) podcast http://raisingplayfultots.com/. She had an amazing series called Crafting your simple holiday season and it was like everything I ever needed to hear. (And finding a new podcast with boatloads of archived episodes is like Christmas in and of itself!!) She had a list of questions in the first podcast to help narrow down exactly what is important and special to me and to us. I answered them and wrote them down, and even did the exercise with Greg who did it with a minimal amount of eye-rolling. Answering questions about what holiday smells are important to me, what foods do I want to eat, and what do I dislike or feel stressed about each year made it so clear to me and to Greg to just take it easy this season and keep it simple. I feel the biggest 'A-ha' moment for me was the idea that it's the feelings of togetherness and connection that make the season so special, and these can only be appreciated by slowing down to actually, well, notice and feel them. While I have still spent time making lists and checking them twice, and have certainly spent my fair share of time surfing the internets for gifts and craft ideas, I had no second thoughts about crossing things off my list that were going to create any stress or sense or busyness. My crafting list was a wonderful motivation, but it continued to get pared down as the weeks went on, and I'm proud of myself that I was able to let so much go. We have spent a lot of nights turning off the main lights of our house and enjoying candle light while we clean and read and play, and I have spent more naptimes reading and journaling in front of the tree with the lights on (in the day!) just really stopping and feeling quietness, peace and gratitude, instead of cleaning, online shopping and sewing. And yes, we did go see the Nutcracker (which went sort of okay, but Claire definitely could have waited a year) and I did try out a Waldorf advent-y corner which didn't really take (maybe next year), and I was happy to try those things. I was able to let go of the expectations of decorating and I did a few things that really spoke to me, which were to needle felt a Christmasey fairy, and make a very rustic, simple Advent wreath with candles for the table. And by slowing down to listen to what was really important to me, and let go of the things that are not, I was actually super excited about those two crafty things and gave myself my own pat on the back when they were completed. And even Greg was able to connect to his passions and values of the season when we had friends over for a Christmas themed dinner and he successfully cooked a duck, which fulfilled his holiday wish list of 'meat, wine and chocolate.'