How are we going to get thru getting ready for Christmas?

Hi My Forum Friends,
Thanksgiving and Christmas time are my favorite times of year.  Things were always a little better in my dysfunctional home at this time of year so I have pretty good memories of everything Christmas...decorations are my personal favorite!  I'm trying to enjoy it as much as usual this year but I don't have to tell you, because you know, having this condition makes everything harder...even enjoying yourself!  Starting to get ready for Christmas had me wondering how all of you have been able to adapt and still do what you want for the holidays.  That includes Hannukah too if you celebrate that :)  This is the first holiday season I've had to deal with feeling this bad so I'm kind of feeling things out for the first time.  I don't have kids so I know it could be alot busier and for that I am thankful.  Anyway, here's what I came up with for me so far:

Decorating:  I don't go crazy here at my house so I don't have to scale back much but I did postpone it from last week when I normally would have done it because I was just too tired last week.  One thing I am doing is putting less on the tree...mostly because my newest little sweetheart, Tigger the cat, is an awful rascally 1 year old.  It's his first year here at Christmas and he can't keep from getting into whatever trouble he can find.  There's no doubt I would come home one night, or several nights, and find the tree on the floor and have to clean it up!  I don't want my breakable ornaments gone forever so I don't want to tempt fate by even putting them on the tree this year.

Shopping:  Shopping is my favorite thing in the world and unfortunately, my biggest trigger.  Being on my feet for that long just sends me into a tailspin and between that and getting warm and the hypoglycemia...well Christmas shopping of the past can be no more.  I've been picking up things little by little as I saw them.  Of course I've been doing alot of on-line shopping and plan to finish most of it there too.  That meant starting earlier than I usually do, so it took a little more forethought.  If I do go to a store like I did today I have a plan...know what I want to get and get in and out.  I got a little tempted today at Michael's Crafts and got in trouble but know when I am so I got out of there.  I also decided that saving a few dollars by "having" to get to the stores that have the biggest bargains, isn't as important as feeling ok.  So if I pay a few dollars more, I'm ok with it...luckily I can do it without much financial hardship so I'm thankful for that.  A few more people are getting gift cards this year too!

Baking:  I bake for my neighbors and some people at work.  Cookies were always too giring so I make some kind of loaf.  I was thinking of cutting that out all together but the reason I started it was because I couldn't afford to buy something for everyone I wanted to remember at Christmas.  I think I'm just going to scale it back and pick an easy recipe.  I have collected a few small, inexpensive gifts I can dress up for the people I'm not baking for.

Parties:  I'm just not going to go!  The one that really drained me last year was the office party and I just don't have it in me this year.  My husband's fine with it because he didn't want to go at all last year!  I'm not an overly social person anyway, so parties were never really my thing anyway.  We'll be going to my sis-in-laws Christmas Eve and probably my sister's Christmas day so I don't have to "do" it at my house...which is the biggest energy saver of all!

That's all I can think of for now.  I'm also planning on enjoying all the other decorations, sights, smells and feelings of Christmas around me which don't require me to DO anything!  I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts :)
Stephanie

[beema36]

Stephanie- U have great ideas.
My husband did our outside decorations before Thanksgiving to beat the cold and.this yr my soninlaw helped. I just supervised:) We usually do our tree all at once but this yr put lights on one night, garland.the next and decorations the next. Just didn't have the energy.for.all.at once. We have lots of.villages etc but think this yr will only put out part of.them. They r lots of.work.
I will do my regular baking and candy making but will do it in stages.
We r having Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner at our house but there won't be many. I already have all the stuff I need for.those so.except for.the cooking that shopping done.
As.for.gifts I.finished most of that before Thanksgiving to avoid crowds. Like u I knew what I wanted and got in and out. A few times I picked out the gifts and left my dh to pay for.them and.went to sit in car. That worked well.
I am not doing cards this yr. Hoping people understand.
I am trying to just relax about it all. Easier said.than done.lol
Beema

[vbc2000]

Hi Beema,
Ah yes, Christmas cards...forgot about those.  I haven't done them in years and was actually thinking of doing them again this year but I've already decided against it!  People will just have to understand, that's all.

It sounds like you have the organization down!  Especially the shopping.  I had to budget for most gifts for the paycheck coming up this Thursday but I think that's plenty of time to order online.  They really do get stuff out quick this time of year.  I can't believe you got all the food already too!  

It also sounds like you and your husband are working as a team and that's a beautiful thing :)  The other thing I forgot was wrapping.  I like wrapping but it always is so much at once.  I think I'm just going to split it up between two days.  I put Christmas music on or watch a Christmas movie so I'll just get to do it twice.  Let me know how it's going :)
Stephanie

[beema36]

Stephanie- I.forgot the wrapping. I don't enjoy that at all. I have tremors in my hands and is very hard. I think I will also do it in a couple sitting rather than one. Remember this yr your little Tigger kitty can help u wrap. A couple yrs ago we got a kitten at Christmas and we had many laughs as he scaled our tree or hid in its branches as we frantically tried to.get him out with tree intact.lol Then when I was wrapping gifts he was so much help. NOT! I was able to blame any messy wrapping on him.lol U will have fun:)
Beema

[vbc2000]

Hi Beema,
Oh my little rascals always try to help when I wrap anything!  I have to put them out of the room!  Can you use gift bags instead of wrapping?  I actually do if I can.  
Stephanie

[beema36]

That's a good idea! Hadn't thought of.using gift bags. Also never crossed my mind to shut my furry babies out of room when I am wrapping. Somedays I wonder if my brains just gone.lol  Of course they will stand on other side of door and whine and scratch because they need to be where I am to supervise:)
Beema

[vbc2000]

I know...their pitiful little cries tug at my heartstrings too but I would never get anything wrapped if they were in the room!  Bags are SOOO much easier!  I used to be able to sit on the floor and wrap and wrap but my back just kills me now!  That was before all of this though!

Have a good week Beema...I can do the last of my internet shopping on Thursday, then I'll start wrapping little by little.
Stephanie