I started reading this article about What the Grinch and Expectations have in Common and I thought it was too good not to share. I’ve often felt the pressure, I’m sure you have too, of having that perfect Currier and Ives Christmas with all your friends and relatives, and just living out those amazing Christmas songs of everyone happy and smiling and passing around coffee and pumpkin pie while those chestnuts merrily pop away on an open fire. 🙂 Ha! Sounds great, and it’s a brilliant fantasy, but that’s pretty much all it will ever be. You can stress yourself out, and in the case of this article, your marriage out by trying too hard for that pie in the sky perfect Christmas.
Now I personally don’t think there’s any reason why it can’t be an amazing time of year, and family fun and cheer… but that’s where the expectations have to come in line with reality. At least for me. It seems every year I have this truth pounded into my skull again… one day, I’ll be ready for it. 😉 Ha! I get the idea in my head of what Christmas and Christmas time is going to be like. Even though I try my best to keep it relaxed and informal, I still inevitably end up stressed out over something. And I know it’s just because my expectations are off. A very simple thing like making rice crispy treats with the monkeys can become a monster of an experience. Because I have it in my head that it’s going to be so fun to be in the kitchen DOING something together, and they are just going to love being part of the process. Well, I chose that particular treat because deep down I knew that to get them through even an exciting fun project like that would be a miracle and crispies take all of 15 minutes to put together. Just so you know, we didn’t make it through those 15 minutes having a wonderful family moment to remember for all time. One son had a meltdown and was banished from the kitchen for the rest of the time. Scenarios like this is why I’m generally reluctant to do many “fun” projects. I’m a work in progress what can I say. 🙂
Anyway, the article was a challenge to me and I wanted to share it with my friends. 🙂
Hope that your week is going swell! Tomorrow is the birthday of the bestest man ever!! We will be having much celebrating and gift opening and Hershey Pie eating at our house. Hope you have a good one too!