This lovely quilt is by
TonyaGood morning all!! As you can see I have decorated for the holidays! Whoo hoo!! I thought some festive food would be fun. Although what we all consider holiday food is different! So I will offer up one of our family favorites to kick off the season. We have delicious home baked rolls..you know the yeasty delicious kind. Can ya smell them just out of the oven? Several types of cheese to put upon the rolls and fresh squeezed orange juice. I also have fresh fruit, melon, apple, pears, bananas. Deliciousness!! Kona coffee of course and teas...oh and several juices..right out of the juicer!! You choose. Delicious yogurt and granola for topping!! I have racked a festive quilt today! Please pull up a chair and join me!! Thank you for coming again today!! I love it when you visit!
I was thinking about the holidays and expectations this week. I feel Christmasy sooner than normal this year. At the beginning of the season - Fall..we had several very deep frosts. Sadly it killed all of the leaves just as they were beginning to turn. They fell off..mostly green. The oaks hung in there and gave us a bit of color..but seriously..we had no Fall at all this year. Kinda went from September to November! It depressed me, it really did. I adore the fall..I look forward to it..expect it to be glorious! This year..not glorious..just sad really. So after I got over myself..my heart started craving Christmas!! Hitting Target this weekend didn't help. Christmas everywhere..whoo hoo!
But here is the thing..this is about the time the expectations start..those hopes and wishes for the season. Whether it is for some wonderful gift or to feel that joy you did as a child. Often, come the end of December we are sad and depressed,as our expectations have not been met. We have been let down by someone or just never caught the joy of the season. Some years it's just hard to get into the spirit. Sometimes life happens instead and we just want to skip the whole thing!
I have a hard time with the gift receiving thing..I love, love, love to get just the very perfect gift..I listen all year to what folks love and keep it in my head. I love to give fun, thought filled gifts. Gifts of thought. Yeah I am one of those people. I love gift giving. I think this is why when someone gives me a gift of little thought..I get hurt. Honestly I would rather not get something than to receive a gift of no thought. You know the kind I mean..that OMG stop at the drug store on the way over kind of gift. That said....I am also aware that I am overly sensitive about this subject..expectations about gifts.
But there was more to this than just people forgetting me at important times or giving me something of little thought..my expectations were based on what I saw society doing. Sometimes that is a catch 22. We are overwhelmed by information these days..what everyone else is doing for the holidays, birthdays, vacations..etc. etc. We often base how our marriage is doing by what others say.."What do you mean your not having sex 8 times a week and twice on Sunday..there must be something wrong with your marriage." No not so much...we spend alot of time looking outside of ourselves for reassurance that our lives are "normal".
You all know how I feel about normal. Here it comes, ya ready....normal isn't always what you are looking for in life!! Sometimes uncommon is wonderful, strange is fun, quirky can crack you up. Sometimes when you box yourself into expectations of what will happen in a marriage, friendship or well..Christmas..what you miss is that chance to experience the new and different. If you are stuck in the holiday rut and are not experiencing the joy of the season..step outside of the box. Step away from your traditions and make some new ones..or just add something new this year. Something fun, crazy, silly..wonderfully not normal!!
So this post is a reminder to myself to breathe new life into the holidays..let go of expectations and find new wonderful things that give me joy every day this holiday season. My motto this year..new and different is good. So maybe if you struggle with this too..you might try some "not normal" things for the season. Just a thought...give it a try and see what joy you find!! I will be stepping aside and letting my husband Fly in the kitchen. He loves to make treats...so I am buying up all of the ingredients to his delights. Now if I could just get him to clean up afterwards..giggle!! We shall see if I can stay out of the kitchen as he Lets Fly with the flour and powdered sugar..whoo hoo!! I think I will sit in the living room with hot cocoa alone, as the kids will be helping Jim..and watch the first Harry Potter!! Whoo hoo. May your holidays be filled with wonder and joy and lots of blissful not normal. Please share with us today something you do during the holidays that brings you joy! Or maybe something you would like to try this year.
Ok I would like a nice hot roll, some mild cheddar and a glass of that wonderful fresh squeezed orange juice..yummmm. Can I get something for you? Thank you for being here today..you bless me with your presence. Namaste, Sarah
