The Christmas Lesson

The presents have been opened. The tree has been taken down. Christmas is over. J's first Christmas is over. I don't think I enjoyed it like I should have. Why? Because of my pity party. That's why.

You see, we have the Christmas Day festivities at our house. My To-Do list was a mile and a half long. Clean this, cook that, bake this, hide that..you know. I was a frazzled mess. It didn't help that The Nugget got sick with the flu three days before Christmas. It didn't help that Big G hurt his back and was out of work for more than a week. It didn't help that I haven't been able to put J  down for more than ten minutes at a time. Does it sound like I'm whining...I am. And that's exactly why I let my baby's first Christmas pass me by like I was a spectator at the Tour de France. I threw myself a pity party. I whined so much I got a headache. 

I should've gotten over myself...over my need to have everything perfect. My mother never had a spotless, Better Homes and Gardens house when she hosted. Sure it was always clean, but it was never perfect. And you know what? She enjoyed herself. And everyone at the party enjoyed themselves, too. 

Moral of the story: No one is going to remember the dust under your love seat. No one is going to remember the stack of bills you had to hide in the laundry room. No one is going to remember if your bed was made. What they will remember is how much fun they had. They will notice how much you and your baby were enjoying yourselves. They will remember how you made them feel. Make them feel welcome.