The holidays

As I sit on an airplane, heading to our destination where we’ll spend the week celebrating Christmas, I find myself reflecting on how I feel, and how I’ve been feeling these past few weeks.

The holidays are always stressful. They bring along a long list of seasonal activities, traditions, and expectations. And if you’re anything like me, you probably add far more to that list than is strictly necessary.

For me, everything starts the day after Thanksgiving. Since I have that day off, it gives me the entire weekend to begin preparing. One of my biggest traditions is setting up my collection of little village “casitas”. I have more than sixty of them, and each year I carefully arrange them into a small town. It takes an entire day to place them just right and light them up.

The following day is reserved for the Christmas tree. This year, at least, that part was easier, we bought a tree with collapsible branches and built-in LED lights. Still, decorating it takes a full day, as all the ornaments fill about three large storage totes.

And then there are all the extras I impose on myself: the wreath on the door, the collections of stars and bells, the angels, Christmas bedspreads in every bedroom, festive towels in the bathrooms, holiday tablecloths, and even switching the china to Christmas-themed pieces.

Beyond decorating, there’s the gift shopping and wrapping, plus preparing the Christmas cards to send to friends, which always takes more time than expected. There’s also preparing for the family gatherings we host during these days, which adds another layer of planning and effort.

On top of all that, this season included two trips to Dallas, one by plane and another by car (about five hours each way), and, of course, preparing for this Christmas vacation I’m currently on.

Like many wives and mothers during this time of year, my days have been packed. But I’ve also added another source of stress: jewelry making and selling. Maintaining my website and Etsy store requires not only creating the pieces themselves, but also managing product listings—SEO-friendly titles, hashtags, and pristine photos on beautiful backgrounds. Thank goodness for AI, which helps with some of this work.

And to finish my little rant, I also have a regular 9-to-6 job. I’m learning French on Duolingo (700 days and counting, 20 minutes a day), and I have a husband who has patiently sacrificed much of our time together during these busy weeks.

After reading all this, you might think I’m not enjoying where I am right now, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I love the direction my life has taken in 2025, and I absolutely adore the Christmas season. I only wish the days were longer this time of year.

Merry Christmas to you all. 🎄