I hope everyone is having an awesome holiday season. I’ve been telling myself to breathe and slow down. (“Slow down, Steve!”) I look at the holiday season like when I host Thanksgiving. 6 hours of cooking, 10 minutes of eating, and 5 hours of cleaning. (I’ve been accused of “bahhumbuggin” in the past and I don’t like that label, so I’m trying hard to … breathe and slow down.) I need to focus more on the 10 minutes or reclassify the prep and cleanup as part of the holiday fun.
I remember my dad looking for a new car. He seriously took years to find the right vehicle. I’d say, “Just choose already!” He’d yell back, “Most of my fun is in the looking!” I think Dad had the right perspective. My sister takes after him – she’ll tell me in July (I’m not kidding) “I need ideas for Christmas” – I tell her that Christmas is in 7 months and she tells me she likes to get an early start.
Perhaps my anxiety stems from thinking about shopping days before the event. If I plan earlier, then I can enjoy the actual holiday season. Look at lights, sing the songs, drink the nog. 
Getting swept up in the fanfare is sometimes inevitable, though. This year someone asked if I would volunteer my house to be on the first annual Clarion holiday house tour. As 2023 is my year of saying yes (to most everything … it was a goal), I said yes. Then I panicked because my idea of holiday decorations is I drag my already decorated tree up from the basement and plug it in and call it a day. My sister – the one who plans – came to my rescue and helped me to spiff up my whole house. Then the new Ukulele Society (there are 3 of us) performed in my basement bar and a good time was had by all.
