40-Day Challenge Day 1
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You probably would not add a family room to your home without a blueprint, knit a sweater without a pattern, or head off on a cross-country vacation without a map. But when it comes to preparing for Christmas, most of us hit the ground running the day after Thanksgiving—without a blueprint, pattern, or map. We get caught up in all the emotions of the season, and before we know it, we’re taking Christmas three stairs at a time.
Winston Churchill once said: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Mary Hunt (yes, that’s me) has learned the hard way: Plans not written are only daydreams.
Today, your challenge is to address Christmases past and reduce your dreams to a simple written Holiday Plan. Get the family involved. Get out the calendar to make sure the season is evenly paced. It’s a great time to reaffirm that you probably can’t do it all, be you can do enough. Make those choices now while the pressure’s off.
Care to comment, share or discuss? We’d love for you to do that in the comments area below.
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I took this assignment to heart! I wrote down “Good” and “Not so Good” things about past Christmases. It was helpful to admit mistakes and identify disappointments and make a plan to keep this year’s calendar and expectations realistic. Thanks, Mary!
I already have most of what I need — at least the basics — for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, so now I can focus on cleaning the house and gifts. For gifts, I’m waiting for Black Friday and am so hoping I can find what I need then; if not, well, we’re all mature enough in my small family to accept that we may have to wait until AFTER Christmas to get the gift(s) we truly want and to be grateful for the really good meals we will definitely enjoy.
At first I did not want to do this challenge, but felt I needed to do something. I had never thought about planning something so far in advance. Now I am excited about it. Basically I have a brainstorm list. There are only a few items on it but as the day wore on, I could think of others. Reading that the next day challenge is to make it simple, that is what I will do with this list. I am good at making lists, and then leaving them there, overwhelmed. So to make it more manageable and concrete will be a challenge. Thank you for doing this challenge.
This is awesome, Linda! I’m right here on the sideline cheering you on! Stick close … 39 Days to go!
I’ve already bought a few thoughtful gifts for some family members.
Our extended family gathers on Christmas Eve and we are all adults but one! We do a Saran Wrap ball game that is so much fun and we all contribute to the gifts. This year we will do a traditional Thanksgiving but Christmas Eve dinner will be much simpler!
Tell us more about the Saran Wrap Ball?