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There’s something special about the weird and wonderful few weeks between Halloween and New Year’s Day.
The time of too many sweet treats and cozy sweater weather and traditional recipes and Christmas music and trips to pumpkin patches and visits to see Santa and cheesy holiday movies and colorful decorations and loads of family time.
For two whole months, it feels like there’s always something to look forward to. Something to celebrate. Something magical coming.
But the older I get—and especially now that I’m a mom—the more I understand that this “magic” doesn’t just happen.
There’s a lot of work that goes into making this time feel memorable.
The treats and recipes don’t buy or make themselves. The trips require meticulous planning. The decorations don’t put themselves up. The holiday movies require actual downtime to be watched. The family visits have to fit into everyone’s busy schedule.
And it’s all the making and buying and planning and scheduling that leaves so many of us exhausted—and not just by the end of the year, but often before the actual holidays even arrive.
So this year, I’ve decided to adopt a little holiday season mantra. A quote to come back to and meditate on when I find myself drowning in all the work that’s meant to lead up to all the magic we’ve come to expect from this time of year.
May these 18 words serve as a reminder for you too:
“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence
The leaves have turned where I live. The reds and oranges and yellows already paint my afternoon walks.
But I know that just as quickly as they appeared, these same leaves will end up in vibrant piles on the sidewalk, making that satisfying crunch sound under my feet.
And then the chill will come and the snow will fall and cozy sweaters will start hiding under puffy coats…and the point is that I want to be aware and awake enough to notice all these changes.
I don’t want to become so wrapped up in all the work required to create the magic that I don’t take the time to sit still and witness the magic.
I want my son to enjoy all the beautiful family traditions that my parents passed down to me. And I want him to see me enjoying them as well.
I want him to see me make the stuffing and apple pie—and see me savor that first bite.
I want him to see me decorate the Christmas tree—and sit in front of it each night just to watch the lights twinkle.
I want him to see me plan the visit to see Santa—and be fully present when it’s his turn to meet the big guy.
But for this to happen, I know I need to let go.
I need to let go of the pressure to make this time of year perfect. I need to let go of the desire to do all the things and go to all the places and engage with all the people.
I need to be okay with leaving tasks undone.
I need to be okay with stillness, with taking a moment to watch the leaves turn. To watch the snow fall. To watch the lights glimmer. To watch my sweet boy take it all in.
And for that to be enough.
~
author: Nicole Cameron
Image: Luis Machado/Unsplash
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