Top Ten Things I Vow Will NOT Drive Me Crazy This Christmas:

 



1. the top 8 inches of our Christmas tree, which has blinking lights while the rest of the tree is glowing steadily.
   
   
   
   
   
   2. Wrapping presents. I do OK, but I will never wrap a present worthy of gifting to Martha Stewart. The corners of my gifts will never be flat and beautiful. They will be lumpy and sometimes ripped. Deal with it.
   
   
   
   
   
   3. Finding the perfect pair of boots. OK, I know this has nothing to do with Christmas but I really need a pair of boots.
   
   
   
   4. Why are just those eight inches of lights blinking?
   
   
   
   5. Work. Also not really Christmas related but the end of the year is a hugely busy time for my business and if I am not careful my job could consume me.
   
   
   
   6. The little guy who lives in our house and keeps rearranging the ornaments on the bottom branches of the Christmas tree.

7. Guilt over my mother not having the perfect holiday. There is only so much that one person can do and I am only one person. Whether we celebrate with Mom on Christmas day or the weekend after doesn't matter. She will have carolers and children and bell choirs and holiday concerts happening literally in her living room so she will be OK. She will be OK.

8. Traveling. We knew when we moved away from family that we would be be the ones doing the traveling. We found a way to still have our version of Christmas morning and that is what is really important.

9. Seriously, those blinking lights are going to push me over the edge. When I finally sit down in the quiet living room at night, lit only by the fireplace and the Christmas tree, so peaceful and calm... and then my eye catches the flash of white light at the top of the tree and I can feel my insides just clenching. Why are they blinking like that?

10. Hey, I don't think I have a number 10. Wow, amazing. This might be my calmest year yet! bring on the holidays!