It's Christmas Eve. The day before the most anticipated day of the year for many of us. December 25th, known more commonly as Family Fight Day. The day family gathers together to exchange gifts, good wishes and karate kicks.
Everything always starts warm and fuzzy then out of the blue Uncle Bob is wielding a cheese knife, the kids are crying and Auntie Barbara is hiding behind the curtains with a bottle of Sambuca blubbering about how nobody loves her.
Getting through Christmas Day can be hard on people. Whether it's the family fights, the travelling from home to home or spending it with the inlaws, or the being alone, Christmas Day can be exhausting.
So. I'm here to not so gently remind you that you need to relax. Even if you just pick one day. Here is my official not so gentle reminder. "HEY. STUPID! RELAX!". It's directed towards myself too so don't feel you're the only stupid one.
Christmas is my favourite time of the year but it's also the most tiring and also the most stressful. Even WITH the Christmas Pledge. So I always make a point of taking time off after Christmas and using that time to relax. Something I'm not all that good at.
Every year I like to tell you what I plan to do with my time off so here you go.
Read.
Finally hang curtain panels in my office.
Light the fireplace in the morning and not leave the couch other than to eat.
Spend at LEAST one day where I don't turn on the television or computer. Probably a few days actually.
Cook, cook, cook.
Depending on the weather, a sleigh ride is in the plans.
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
Start a petition to stop people from using the word "convo" instead of conversation.
Go for a run. Or two. Or lay on the couch.
Do some work on my book proposal.
Work on developing the redesign of The Art of Doing Stuff.
Expand petition to ban the shortening of all words.
Knit.
Nap.
Nibble.
I look forward to this week off all year and even though I will be doing some work I'll also have plenty of time to sprawl out and not wash my hair. Which let's face it. Is really what the holidays are all about.
But before all that happens I have to get ready for my annual Christmas Eve party. Stack some wood inside the house, get the hot buttered rum ready and lock up the cheese knives.
Have a great Christmas Day and thank you all sincerely for reading and sharing The Art of Doing Stuff.
I will see you in the New Year.
Kim C.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas from Pakenham, Ontario!
Happy relaxing. :-)
Karen
Pakenham! I taped a show in Pakenham once. We did a makeover on a waitress at a restaurant. I think it was across the street from where they make Viagra. :) Have a good Christmas Kim C. ~ karen!
Kim C.
YES! I remember that episode. I live one concession road across from where that lucky waitress used to live. The restaurant is still there in Arnprior but sadly the ''little blue pill'' is no longer manufactured there. Helluva show! :-)
Natika
Have a great end of the year refresher! I hope you get to do everything you want to do, even if that something is actually nothing. Best wishes for 2015 too!!!!
Karen
Thanks Natika! You too. ~ karen
Wendy W
Merry Christmas Karen!
Karol
XOXO Merry Christmas to you and all of your fans. Pretty funny group! I laugh at some of their responses as much as I laugh at your posts. Looking forward to 2015.
Karen
Thanks Karol. Have a good holiday. ~ karen!
martha
Merry Christmas Karen! Thank you for sharing all of your talents with us. You are indeed a blessing.
Debbie from Illinois
Merry Christmas Karen!
Maura
Merry Christmas, Health, Serenity and continued success in the New Year!
Karen
Thanks Maura. Same to you and yours. :) ~ karen!
Jody
Have a gr Ch'mas and NY. N'joy ur vaca. I look frwd to ur posts in Jan. I will be n'joy'ng time w/ 'rents and sibs. Sorry.......Have a great Christmas and New Year. I look forward to your posts in January. I will be enjoying time with parents and siblings. And thank you for your blog, it IS the best.
Karen
Jerk, lol. Merry Christmas Jody! ~ karen
Karen C
Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your family in the New Year. Looking forward to the redesign and morning laughs (I read your post while eating breakfast!!)
Karen
Thanks Karen! Same to you and yours. ~ karen!
Heather
Merry Merry Christmas
Lynn
Merry Christmas Karen wishing you an your family a joyful holidays. Turn off your electronic's bring out the wooden spoons have a old fashioned.
You will all be laughing to hard you will forget the time , you will only remember what a peaceful season you had with family and friends alike.
P.S bells on the horses harness will remind anyone that it is time to slow down an enjoy the moment.
Merry Christmas to all Best Wishes in 2015.
With that said my electronics are going off till the new year.
Karen too
Almost wrote convo in a post last night...and then did not! Were we channelling the same digital spirit?
Merry Christmas "other Karen with the good blog." May 2015 bring you all the best of everything.
Marcia
Merry Christmas to you Karen - thank you for a year of laughter and learning!
Jane P
Love the Christmas Pledge! No computer and t.v. sounds perfect!
Enjoy the holidays with your family, Merry Christmas!
Karen
Thanks Jane P! Same to you. ~ karen
Linda J Howes
I don't knit so for me it will be nip, nap nibble. Ah, delicious. Looking forward to 2015, the best is yet to come!
Tigersmom
Merry Christmas, Karen!
Just want to say thank you for the Christmas pledge, too. I got sick with a virus that is not the flu but feels just like it and knocked my butt down for the past week. If I hadn't made the pledge and been 95% done with everything before it hit, I would have been so screwed.
I refuse to count being forced to rest due to illness as relaxing because you can't DO things you want to do but find relaxing (like cooking which I used to hate but have come to enjoy, thanks in no small part to you, too), so my relaxation will start on New Years Eve and last until my son goes back to school or maybe a tad longer.
Karen
I'm glad you're better and even more glad you've taken a liking to cooking. It's a great creative past time that you also get to EAT! ~ karen
Ev Wilcox
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Karen! Enjoy your time off. See you next year!
Donna
Merry Christmas to you, your family and your chickens. Cannot wait to see what you have in store for us in the new year. Enjoy your party to-night and then have a good rest.
Andree Masters
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from sunny Spain. Xxx
Karen
Spain! That's fun! I've never been but it did get to look at it from Portugal, lol. ~ karen!
Deb
Have a lovely break and a wonderful Christmas. I so enjoy this blog.
Thank you so very much for sharing your life with us.
I made the hot buttered rum mix for Christmas baskets. Oh my Lord, it's amazing, and I just tasted it while cooking. Can't wait to actually have a drink!
Karen
That's great Deb! I hope everyone likes it. :) Merry Christmas. ~ karen!