This Christmas....

Confession, people: between school subjects I've been stalking Christmas cookies on Pinterest. I love, love Christmas....seriously....it's the best. There's not a single thing about it I don't like. I love making decorations and drinking cocoa and baking insane amounts of sweets. I have a bazillion schemes this year, too. Can you tell I'm excited?

This year, I have a bit of a Christmas strategy. While I do love everything about Christmas, I almost always fall into Christmas-stress. I get too invested in the thinking that everything has to be perfect, and there's always at least one last-minute shopping meltdown. To try to deal with that and focus on the fact that it's, well, Christmas, I have a mindset I'm going to try and put into play.

This year, I'm going to find the line between simple and extravagant. Everyone says Christmas is too commercialized, too much about the presents. I agree with that wholeheartedly, but at the same time, it seems a crime to treat it too simply. It's Christmas, the one time of year when people act nicer, homemeade is always appreciated, and it's perfectly acceptable to be crazy and act like a little kid. What's not to celebrate?

This year, I'm not being extravagant. I'm not spending a ton of money on the perfect presents (primarily because I'm broke). I'm not elbowing some poor old man for the last bag of holiday M&M's, or feeling guilty that we weren't able to get everyone together for the perfectly traditional family Christmas. But I'm not going simple, either. Our house is going to be a glistening winter wonderland, I'm baking anything that pops into my head, and singing Christmas carols off-key as much as I like. Nothing's going to stress me out or make me depressed. I'm going to enjoy every minute of this holiday season and do little things to make others happy. There's so much to love about Christmas. I'm not getting wrapped up in the little annoyances.

This past week I went through all my school subjects and figured out how much school work needs to happen so that I can have a lovely break...it will mean a lot of doubling up (school every weekend, too) BUT it will leave me with the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the first week in December completely off. I AM SO EXCITED. I'll be able to practice a ton for the holiday skating show, bake, make some presents, decorate, and watch Christmas movies without schoolwork hanging over my head. It's going to be the best week and a half ever. Sure, I'll have to do school more after that before having the week of Christmas off, but still. It'll be a great pre-Christmas time. Sooo happy.

So to recap.

Here's what's NOT happening this Chrismtas:

-Last minute shopping stress.
-Hating myself because everything I make is STUPID.
-Feeling guilty because I have school to do.
-Depression after classic family holiday arguments.
-Not having time.

Here is what's definitely happening:

-Obnoxious happiness because IT IS CHRISTMAS!
-Festive clothes, especially sweaters.
-So many cookies and fudge and bars and who know what else, that we will never be able to eat them all.
-Paper decorations. Because I love them.
-The Grinch. I'm obsessed with The Grinch. I plan on watching it multiple times and then decorating everything I see with a Grinch theme.
-Charlie Brown, too.
-Simple, homemade happiness. Low stress, lots of love.
-Snow. Not that I can control the weather or anything, but if I could will it to snow a ton, I would.

So yeah, I'm excited. I've planned a whole slough of Christmas themed posts and can't wait to share them with you guys.

I swear, every other thought has been CHRISTMAS COOKIE BOXES. This year's obsession, apparently.

Who wants to channel Whoville with me and be obnoxiously happy that it's Christmas??

"Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more. "

-Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas

PS. Young Yankee Lady has a Facebook page! Be sure to like! :)