Here they come, the December holidays. Whether you celebrate
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, Festivus, or any other, these special
celebrations usually involve getting together with large family groups, eating
good food, and giving gifts.
How fun! How stressful! I attend a monthly meeting of
caregivers. All of us are caring for loved ones with some sort of dementia (and
I never realized how many different kinds there are before finding this group).
The meeting this month emphasized making it through the minefield of the winter
holidays intact. This can be done by caring for the caregiver (right, easy to
say), but also by listening to the afflicted loved one and making sure he or
she isn’t overwhelmed. OK, making sure neither of us is overwhelmed!
I guess the best way to do that is to simplify. When we both
retired and started to (try to) live on social security, we cut down on the
amount per kid and grandkid, but there’s more that can be done.
I honestly didn’t want to put up a tree this year, but Hubby
wants to. So I’ll listen to him, help him put it up, and decorate it. He
actually wants to put up two! We bought a new one last year and neglected to
throw the old one away…so I guess we could have two, if I can figure out where
to put them!
My usual Christmas letters will go into envelopes, skipping
the cards. That seems to make sense. I’ve already mailed out the overseas
packages and make fudge and peanut brittle for them. No one stateside seems to
appreciate those two items like I do, so maybe I won’t make any more. Lindt
truffles are awfully good.
Hubby and I won’t get each other gifts beyond the new patio
and the oak tree that was taken down. That about shot THAT budget.
The best part of this Christmas is that I have exactly one
deadline, December 16th, and when that’s over, I can relax and have a good
time. Unless I work on STROKE. Or some short stories. Or the third book in the
Carraway series, or the Neanderthal People of the Wind series. Stop me before I
ruin the holiday!
