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The Busy PT's Guide to Finding Balance

In the Mood

Published December 16, 2008 10:48 AM by Janey Goude

One week, two days until Christmas.  It's sneaking up on me this year.  How about you? 

Oh, we've put up our Christmas tree, decorated our home, done most of our shopping and wrapping, but it still doesn't feel like Christmas. Admittedly, living in South Carolina, especially after growing up in Ohio, doesn't help. It's hard to feel Christmasy in 70 degree weather when you grew up awaiting Santa with snow!

But this year, life seems to be getting in the way of Christmas.  Nothing major...just the regular drill, the droning that just won't stop.  Do you feel like you are busier than ever?

Holiday traditions can shift our mindset away from the ordinary to embrace the distinctive gifts this season brings.  So determine to stop the madness and make time for your family traditions.  If you don't have any, here's a list to get you started:

Pick out your tree together...already cut or go for the gusto and cut your own!

Decorate the tree together, preferably with a fire going in the fire place, and then enjoy cups of hot cocoa together while you sing Christmas carols. 

Watch a Christmas movie as a family...the Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, the Grinch, It's a Wonderful Life...

Bake Christmas cookies together...sugar cookies are fun because oooh, the decorating options!

Do you notice a theme?  TOGETHER!  A tradition is simply doing something-anything-at the same time every year with people you love.  Our lives are so busy, torn in so many directions, that together can be a difficult element to capture.  But together is so worth the effort!

Will you take a moment to share your favorite Christmas traditions?  You may make a tradition--a lifetime of memories--for another family!

3 comments

Just doing a puzzle together is fun for all ages when the family gets together.  We talk about favorite Christmases in the past, eat quiche and caesar salad, lots of cookies, do marshmellows in the fireplace and play all our favorite Christmas cds.  We watch A Christmas Story on TV and laugh at all our favorite parts.  I personally think it's the little ones that make Christmas -- nothing else really matters!

Ruth

Ruth December 17, 2008 3:17 PM
Lexington SC

Do you remember ours??  I told the story about our matching footed one-piece zip up pajamas and our races down the steps on our bellies as kids.  We got the same thing every year, just a different color!!  It seems really funny and kind of cool now.  Who would have thought I'd live to love those pajamas!!!  

By the way, it is snowing here!!!

I love you!!!  

Julie December 17, 2008 10:57 AM

We make it a point of stopping all the festivities and pausing to read the Christmas Story from Luke's gospel. Most of the children - young and old alike know it by heart but it always seems to rekindle a certain feeling in the heart where we know Christmas is much bigger than the gifts under the tree. That is usually followed by the children doing a skit or singing a song together -which always make me smile.  It is also a tradition of our for everyone to have a red pair of PJs to sleep in on Christmas Eve --- don't know where that came from -- but we still do it!

Teresa December 17, 2008 8:38 AM
Lugoff SC

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