Things I Learned This Christmas

1. Choose favorites among the many ways to fill time at Christmas. As my kids slowly recover from mono, we chose which Christmas traditions we really wanted, and which we didn’t care about. We were able to simplify (a little), without dropping anything we’d miss. Except a few parties.

2. Never bake and do laundry on the same day. This is a small house/no basement issue. We live in a wartime house with a lean-to at the back which is our mudroom, laundry room, staging area for anything coming in or out, pantry, and storage for anything that might freeze and can’t spend the winter in the garage like paint. Plus it’s the overflow space for things like sheets of Christmas cookies, set on top of the front-loading washer and dryer to cool. Except when they’re in use – they shake and shimmy and sound like they’re trying to take off into outer space, and anything on top ends up behind them in an impossible-to-reach-with-human-arms muddle. Not a good place for fresh cookies. But we forget, and on various days ended up with cookies taking over the kitchen table, cardamom bread in the living room, and gingerbread house pieces on my desk, while we waited for the laundry to dry.

3. Read the Best Books of the Year lists before Christmas shopping. I couldn’t figure out why the lists were all coming out before the end of the year, until today when I read a wonderful list with reviews, and spotted all kinds of books that would have made great gifts. Oops.

4. Haven’t tried but it’s been recommended: beer before shopping, wine while wrapping. Next year…

5. Most important – it’s good to slow down and be quiet. It’s peaceful and deep, and among the endless lists, perhaps the most important thing to remember.

May we all live in peace,

Maureen