- Spending time with family
- Honoring God
- Having fun
- Making funny memories
- Surprising others
- Enjoying special activities
- Relaxing
- Trying something new
- Getting to see people I don't usually get to see
- Catching up
- Playing games
- Sitting and talking
What I do not love about holidays:
- Spending money on items that are not needed or wanted
- Rushing from place to place
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Losing sight of the meaning
- Commercialism
- Getting buried in piles of junk
- Spending tons of time getting ready
- Making messes
- Spending a ton of time in the kitchen
- Being guilted into things
- Feeling exhausted
- Wasting money
- Doing things for the same of doing them
- Being too busy to enjoy
- Not having time to do the things that matter to me
What I want more of in the holidays
- God
- Prayer
- Helping others
- Giving back
- Serving those in need
- Making a difference in the world
- Celebrating relationships
- Laughter
- Wonder
How to move from exhausted and overwhelmed to enjoyable and meaningful? That is the question. I think saying no and simplifying are part of the answer, as are bucking traditions that aren't meaningful and slowing down. I am going to try to remember this list and implement more of it at the next holiday. Luckily we have a break until the next holiday, which is...what? My birthday? ;) I think we are off until the 4th of July, which I don't care about, and then Halloween maybe? Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas are the big ones.
