I broke a long standing tradition this year. I put up our new Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. It was impossible for me to wait and see both the colored and clear lights twinkling. When my family protested, I gave them a glowing and glittering light show. Still they didn’t agree! But they did understand my impulsively.

At Christmas do you think about over-expecting? The hype, lists of wishes, bulging calendars, and then the big day! I’m guilty. I have high expectations for Christmas day. I’ve instilled them in my kids, too. We expect to laugh, play games, and tell stories. We eat fudge and cookies for breakfast and stay in our PJs. We ooh and ahh exchanging gifts one at a time. We get in each other’s way making dinner. This is my gift to them, creating traditions to remind us that we belong to each other.

I didn’t intend to add something to your to-do list. But, my friend Pat makes a case for anticipating and preparing for the post-Christmas let-down. She says it’s easy to overlook. I agree with her. It makes sense to talk about it, make plans, and accept that emotions and activity will be different for us and our kids afterwords. It’s a relief in a way, being ready for the joy of doing less.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours!