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Celebrating Yule Without Losing Your Mind – Or Your Life Savings
by Dorothy Morrison
Ah, the Yuletide season! No matter who we are or where we live, it's something we all look forward to. And why not? When it comes to the Winter Solstice, cultural differences don't matter. Language isn't a barrier. And neither is the fact that the traditions with which we commemorate this festival are as varied as the celebrants themselves. That's because it's a time of light and warmth - the time when the newborn Sun appears again in the sky - a confirmation that the dark, bitter chill that envelopes the Earth will soon give way to longer days and the greening of Spring. And in the dead of Winter, that's a promise we can all appreciate.
Even so, it's more than that. The promise of the newborn Sun brings its light and warmth into our hearts, as well. Common courtesy and good will becomes the norm, rather than the exception. Senseless worries give way to something much more important: A sincere appreciation for our neighbors, friends, and loved ones, and all they do to enrich our lives. We find ourselves smiling at each other, speaking to strangers on the street, and going out of our way to practice random acts of kindness. In short, we all become nicer people, and even if only temporarily, the world seems a much better place to live. In this day and time, that's definitely something worth celebrating!
As worthy of celebration as the Winter Solstice is, though, doing so often presents its own set of problems in the form of time and money. There are holiday cards to send out, gifts to buy, and our homes to decorate. There are parties to plan, additional trips to the grocery store, and all that holiday baking and cooking to handle. Unless you've got a staff of personal servants and an unlimited bank account, it's enough to make your head spin. And that's certainly no way to spend the season.
So, what do you do? How do you get everything done on time? Or handle all that extra expense without taking out a mortgage-sized bank loan? More to the point, how do you manage to relax, enjoy the season, and actually have some fun?
Contrary to popular belief, the answer is not double-dipping into the eggnog. But it's almost as effortless, and comes in the form of three little words. Simplify. Organize. Delegate.
At this point, I can almost hear what you're thinking: It starts with "yeah, but" and ends with "nobody else can do this the way I want it done." And believe me, I understand. By the same token, though, Yuletide meals don't have to be twelve-course extravaganzas. Nobody will gasp in horror because every loop of garland on the tree doesn't measure exactly nine inches at its drop. And no one--not one single person in the entire history of Yule--ever died because a Yule card arrived addressed in a childish script or with a printed computer label adorning its envelope.
If you're still not convinced, though, consider this: The whole idea behind any celebration is to celebrate. And you just can't do that if you're so worn out you can't even remember your own name. That said, take a deep breath and regroup. Then get started with some of these tips. You'll be glad you did!
Holiday Cards: These little goodies can be terribly expensive, to say nothing of the time involved in signing, addressing, and stamping them. That being the case, start by taking a good, hard look at your greeting card list and decide whether you really need to send all those cards. If not, shave the list to a more appropriate size.
Then set about designing your own cards via the personal computer. (You can even scan in your signature so it prints out with the rest of your message, if you like.) Just print them on heavy card stock (readily available at all office supply stores) and have your children or grandchildren handle the addressing and stamping.
Don't have kid-power at your disposal? Not a problem. Simply type your address list into the computer, print it out on labels, and slap them onto the envelopes with the stamps. One quick dash to the mailbox and you're done.
Decorating: Since we want our homes to look festive and elegant and reflect our own tastes, this is the one job that most of us have trouble relinquishing to others. However, it's also the one job that usually takes more time than anything else. So, dig out those boxes of holiday decorations and invite the neighborhood kids over for a decorating party. All you'll have to do is supply hot cocoa and cookies--and that will give you plenty of time to supervise.
Worried that it might be more trouble than it's worth? Invite your friends over for a decorating party, instead. Even if you have to serve more food - meat, cheese, and vegetable trays are likely options - you'll get the help you need and it won't take as much supervision. Best of all, the job will be done, and you can breathe a sigh of relief.
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