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Challenge: Reducing Holiday Stress

All I want for Christmas this year is lightheartedness and merriness

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Here's the thing about Santa...

He makes even the adultiest of adults feel like a kid again.

There's just something about the sight of him with his

stark white hair,

bubblegum pink cheeks,

oversized jolly belly,

and kind eyes,

that makes even the maturest of humans

believe.

Not in him, per se, but in

the overall goodness of people...

the essentiality of life "seasons" and our innate ability to endure them,

the everlasting and undeniable need for children and their joyous nature to roost and rouse the lot of us,

and the power each of holds to voluntarily perpetuate such.

Good music,

good food,

good ambiance,

be it inside our homes or beyond its walls,

can pull even the grumpiest of the grumps out of the slumpiest of slumps.

Add in some pretty lights,

a Christmas tree,

the smell of fresh pine, gingerbread, or an open fire

and some stockings,

and maybe that's what the Christmas holiday does for us, prone-to-stress adults --

it reminds us that there's nothing so bad in our lives that

a little nostalgia,

a piece of chocolate,

some hot cocoa,

a hot toddy,

coffee with a friend

or singing Jingle Bells with our kids can't fix.

And that if there is anything that bad going on in our lives

-- something that's seemingly unfixable --

well, then there's no need for us to waste any more of our precious time on this earth trying to repair the irreparable.

You know, there's nothing more endearingly fascinating than a child who loves Santa except maybe an adult who loves him just the same.

Who finds comfort in him [and some wine].

Him [and an overflowing plate of HoneyBaked ham goodness].

Him [and some cookies and milk].

Him [and some door-to-door caroling].

And though rockin' around the Christmas tree like a buzzed little overstimulated bee with a full belly isn't the "reason for the season," it's still an acceptable one.

I mean, really folks, we've been going through a pandemic for almost two years, and it's been going through us like it's its job, and I've never more believed in the idea that each of us should do the things that bring us peace, joy, laughter, and comfort.

Me?

I'm at my best when I put aside my overthinking and tendency to both be overwhelmed and overwhelm and instead throw myself into the sights and sounds of my kid-driven present, letting their holiday-induced happiness linger, rub off on me, and remain.

Dear Santa...

All I want for Christmas this year is for the lightheartedness and merriness you bring to the month of December to linger and lead us into the new year.

We could all use a knight in shining armor and a vaccinated one at that, but I've conferred and confirmed that we are willing to settle for a happy and hefty [vaccinated] man in red instead.

From,

A nice mama who's been naughty-ish because, well, there’s a pandemic

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