Perhaps everything holiday always falls on you. But, you are realizing it’s not working for you. You don’t want to be “doing Christmas” from August to get it all done. Maybe it’s a lot of work for not much joy.

There are probably things which you don’t enjoy doing. This is different for everyone. Maybe you don’t like the holiday party, baking, cards, going caroling, Christmas dinner or whatever.

When you think about the holiday, what is the one thing you can’t stand doing?

You have options even if it feels like you have to do it all:

• Let that thing go. Make peace with the feeling of, “I should have…” Let go of the guilt and thinking it has to be done and it has to be done by me. It really doesn’t. We have a cat. We don’t have a tree. And it’s fine.
• Let someone else do it that enjoys it more. My artistic daughter does most of my wrapping and decorating.
• Pare it down. Send less cards. Talk to friends and family about doing gift exchanges where you pick a name instead of getting presents for everyone. Only put up one box of decorations. Bake 3 kinds of cookies instead of ten.
• Do it together. Go shopping with friends, have a cookie trade, fill out cards as a family, have a wrapping party.
• Decide to do it and do it out of love. If it’s really important to someone, go ahead and do it. But, make sure you are feeling love and service before doing it. Doing it out of resentment makes everyone miserable.

Remember – you have a choice!