Soak it all in this Christmastime

From Friday through Monday, my husband and I will spend 12 hours in the car, making the three-hour drive between my husband’s family here in north Alabama and my family in middle Tennessee each day for those four days. We will celebrate four separate Christmas gatherings – and I don’t want to miss a moment.

The holidays can bring a frantic pace to our lives, with every minute of December jam-packed with cookies, carols, parties, and presents. Here in Franklin County we’ve had Toyland, Holly Day, parades in each community, holiday open houses and more. It’s not always easy to find a minute to slow down and take a breath, and it can leave us feeling stressed and exhausted, instead of enjoying the most wonderful time of the year.

In the last two weeks of 2017, I want to savor every single moment of this holiday season – from bows that won’t stick and cookies that overbake to strings of twinkle lights that bring a festive glow, wrapping paper flying as gifts are unwrapped and family and friends gathering to make special memories all tied up in tinsel, glitter and the sounds of the season.

Plans will go awry and schedules will be full to overflowing, but that’s part of the fun – or at least that’s how I want to see it. That’s part of celebrating all the beauty and joy and magic that comes this time of year. We pack too much in, and we will secretly heave a sigh of relief when we settle into January and return to routine, but December is for hauling out the holly, decking the halls, roasting those chestnuts, drinking endless mugs of cocoa – whatever makes the holiday special for you. Sure, it means a break from established schedules and days neatly organized, but would it be as much fun if it didn’t?

Let’s treasure the hours of travel; the hustle and bustle as we rush from one event to the next; the overwhelming urge to find the perfect gift for everyone and make every moment magical. Let’s soak it all in this Christmastime.