Uncluttering my Christmas

You know how the holidays get so hectic, you don't think you can fit in one single thing more?

I'm here to tell you, you're wrong. Because cancer just invited itself to my celebration and when it knocks the door off the hinges and plops down in the middle of the room, you have no choice but to deal with it. If you care to know more about that, please visit my blog

But here's what I'm doing to make Christmas more relaxed and enjoyable.

I've acquired minions. Some of them I'll never even see, but they rush to do my bidding anyway. I'm talking about shopping online, you see, buying gifts without the press of crowds or insane Boston traffic. Point. Click. Acquire. Ship. I've already sent gifts back to my parents in care of my daughter who lives in their town. (I'll see her when she flies out to join us Dec 24th, but before then, she'll wrap and deliver my presents for me. She is my head minion!) The rest of the gifts will arrive here, where I can wrap them at my leisure (or press my other minion, er, I mean daughter, into doing it!)

The apartment sized tree is up and cheerily set on a timer. I don't have to worry about turning it off and on. I'm not sending Christmas cards, except electronically. I'll send Christmas emails.

I'm not attending any Christmas parties. Cancer cleared my social calendar for me. Again, for clarification see my blog. But I will be spending time with my husband and daughters and that is more precious than anything.

And I find myself focusing on the heart of Christmas rather than its trappings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Have a merry, uncluttered Christmas.