Thinking more about the holidays

I have been diligently working on getting my house ready for the upcoming holiday season. Things have already become a bit stressful in regards to where we are spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It has recently become a "situtation" with the in-laws. MIL wants all of us at her house on Christmas Day and BIL is having his in-laws at his house on Christmas Day. Which leaves me and my husband in the middle and no one cares what we want to do.

I read an article here. And I think that this article will settle if for us. I sent the article to my husband and asked if he thought we should pass on to his family. I really want to be home on Christmas Day. I really want to start our own traditions and values. I have been working on small things the last few years but I want to incorporate a few more things and that has been hard to do with the traveling over the holidays.

We are hosting my family on December 15th. This takes care of us having to incorporate a 2-1/2 hour trip on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to see my family. I spend Thanksgiving with them every year and then that has left Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to the in-laws as in the past it was predicated that we spend both days with them.

Last year, I did not enjoy the holidays, a lot of stress. This year is going to be better, the house is looking great (shaping up quite nicely with some simple routines and a little bit of time each day decluttering), the Christmas gifts and shopping are coming along nicely, and I'll get the decorations out slowly and really ask myself, do I like this, why am I using it and if it's not loved or is being kept for no reason it is going this year.

I plan on having everything done, so that in the month of December, the boys and I can bake each day, play games and do some holiday fun stuff with the season of advent. Here's to a happy and joyous season for the right reasons and not the wrong.