It’s My Christmas Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To
Don’t be fooled.
NO ONE has their act totally together in December. Not a one.
Every single person currently fumbling through this month has forgotten to buy a gift, wrote down the wrong address, left the baking powder out of the cookies, eaten 12 cookies and then a piece of celery to “burn the calories,” or mumbled “I’m sure that can be arranged” under her breath when her kid is throwing a tantrum for absolutely no reason and shouting “I don’t even want Santa to come!”
Or, you know, spent five minutes looking for her keys so she can go to the post office to mail a package to Uncle Randy and also renew her passport which has been expired for 7 years and also still has her maiden name on it only to find that her keys are in her hand. And then remember that she has toddlers and that the odds she is going to be traveling internationally anytime soon are minuscule so this really is a pointless errand better left for February.
But she still needs to mail that package to Uncle Randy.
Just an example.
Sing We Joyous, All (Eventually) Together
There is just A LOT happening in December and things are a little messy, and a little stressful. Sometimes really stressful.
So that’s why when a snowstorm cancels a Christmas party that you have hosted for 8 years and have painstakingly planned, cooked, and cleaned for, you absolutely 100% need a friend who is going to show up at your house the next morning to say “That sucks. So much.” And then continue on to make you feel like MUCH less of a crazy person by outlining in detail all of the reasons that said situation sucked including but not limited to toddlers who do not understand why Mommy just can’t deal right now. That friend is your sanity.
And then you need friends who show up the next day from 6 hours away because they love you enough to get in their car during a snowstorm to attempt to attend a party that was supposed to be held the night before. And they want to come visit with you even though they still have to drive 6 hours back home today. Those friends are good for your soul.
And of course you need the friend who arrives the next day bringing with him homemade reindeer shaped cookies for the kids and also 3 minutes of blissful silence while kids happily ate said cookies with twinkles of Christmas cheer in their cute little eyes. Bonus points if he also launches into a story about how he wants to be a volunteer firefighter, but not actually fight the fires. He wants to be a second tier volunteer, like maybe bring the firefighters cookies after they are done with the whole fire situation. There should be lots of ways to volunteer, and you should still get to be in parades for your efforts. That friend is critical to your mental health and your laugh lines.
While I Tell of Yule-tide Treasure
Perhaps most importantly, after everyone has called the night of the party to VERY understandably say “Um, Becca… I love you and I tried incredibly hard to make this happen, but I don’t want to die in a snowstorm to attend your Christmas party. The food is always pretty good but the Yankee Swap gifts are historically terrible and we just can’t risk it” you will need a really great friend.
A friend who is your permanent roommate. A friend who will put on a Santa suit, make extremely strong Christmas cocktails, and watch Love Actually with you on the couch while you both eat your feelings/weight in microwaved party food.
That friend is your heart.
I mean, hypothetically. It’s not like all of this happened word for word or anything. I’m trying to be relatable and appealing to the masses here. #GoingViral
Follow Me in Merry Measure
So take it easy on yourself this holiday season. We’re all kind of a mess. And things are going to go wrong. It’s science. But when you have the people you love in your moderately well-decorated and kind of clean corner, and I hope that you do, therein lies the magic of Christmas.
(Ugh, Becca… stop being sappy… Seriously… we’ve made it abundantly clear, we’re really just here for the bracket.)
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I’m so sorry this hypothetical party got canceled. It sounds like the friends are amazing though 🙂
Wish I could help you out with that leftover booze! You sound abundantly blessed–if stressed–this season. Now that my boys are old enough to not be under foot, it’s so tempting to let the electronic babysitter handle them while I get holiday-ready. But that’s not what it’s about, is it? They don’t even care if the toilets are clean–they’re just going to mess them up again! And having them underfoot lets me experience Christmas through their eyes a little, which is a joy I should stop and wonder at more. Thanks, as always, for forcing me to slow down and laugh!
There really is magic is seeing the holidays through the eyes of our kids. I’m happy to have a snowed in weekend here to really focus on soaking that in. And your comment really made my day! Thank you so much for reading! Happy holidays to you and your family! (A through the internet cheers!)
Oh rubbish.
I am sorry the snowstorm ruined your (ehem?) hypothetical party. I’m glad you have such sweet friends to make you feel better.
I forgot how awesome the word rubbish is… Really need to use that more. 🙂 Happy holidays!!
Haha! What do you guys say normally?
Ha ha! At the risk of sounding like a bah-humbug scrooge, I do not enjoy Christmas gatherings at all, so a snow storm preventing me from attending is something I’d secretly wish for! Unlikely that Santa will deliver on that one, seeing as I’m in the Southern Hemisphere.
I get it! Sometimes I need some alone time to recharge too. Like a lot of the time. Wishing you a very happy holiday spent the way you’d like to spend it!
Oh my goodness! Good thing that didn’t happen word for word or anything, but it is totally relateable! But really, thank goodness for awesome friends – even in the midst of chaos! You are totally right – nobody really has it all together this time of year!
Hahahaha I love you and it sucked so much but it was so sweet in the daylight 🙂
Total silver lining seeing the four little buddies playing together. <3 Love you!
Oh no!! That is no fun. I know I get super stressed this time of year and unexpected/uncontrollable happenings just…. suck! I’m so glad you hadid such a grear friend through it all!!
It can be super stressful. But at the end, it all comes down to the people you love. Happy holidays! 🙂 Thanks for reading!
I did not realize how stressful Christmas can be! I probably had a meltdown every day this week, so I feel you! I sent a text to my mom saying, “Is Christmas as an adult always this stressful?!” Something about getting married completely changes the dynamic of Christmas!
The grown ups sure did a great job of making it all magical behind the scenes for us! Our turn now. 🙂