Holiday Season(ings): Enhance Without Overwhelming

It's Friday, and time for another "Thought-Tale Hour" at the Henderson's.  A couple of days ago, Chris called me as I was driving along and said, "Oh honey, I forgot to tell you something...".  His voice sounded pensive and made me push my ear even closer to the phone.  "What's up?", I quickly asked. "We are doing something at work this year for the food drive, and I need to bring some fudge Monday....", his voice trailed off, waiting for my response.  My heart raced a little.  So it begins.  The Holiday Season.  Gone would be my weekends with  Netflix marathons - see you in January.  Time to start making lists and checking them twice, perusing Pinterest, angsting over Amazon, orchestrating the offspring... "WHOA Nellie, what the heck* (*edited for a wider audience) are you doing Joy?!  Who made you the Official Conductor of Christmas?".... I breathed in deeply.  Time to roll it back and remember your roots before you start decorating withering leaves.

The Holidays quite literally paused for me five years ago, the year we lost our son Seth.  

I remember not wanting to acknowledge even Christmas that year after sucking up everything within me to have Thanksgiving at our home.  Fate shined on me, and I ended up having a major surgery just before Christmas day that put me in the hospital during the holidays.  Our family spent a quiet holiday that year, just determining to try and not bring down anyone else's joy.  But then, as it does, time rolled on and then came the next Holiday Season, and I resolved to find a way to bring back the joy of the season while not forgetting those not present. 

A dear friend, Betty Scott, told me of an idea involving a Memory Candle Lighting that another family had done.  Everyone in the family brings a candle to represent themselves to surround one candle that represented the loved one lost.  This idea resonated with me, and so with the support of our kids, we did it.  Not only was it a beautiful memory, enhanced by our first Christmas with Niko and Terra, but it seemed to release us all to have an enjoyable and laughter filled time together.  We've done it every year since. 

And that day, this week, as my mind began to swirl out of control, my saner self-brought me back to this memory and the significance behind it.  

If this were my last holiday season, this is one mom-ism tradition I believe would carry on.  That makes me smile.

So tonight, as we prepare for a weekend of seasoning, we stop to remind ourselves, and those of you who are reading this, that all of your unique traditions are like spice that should enhance our lives, not overwhelm them.  The Gingerbread might get burned, the Fudge not set up, or you might miss a day of the Elf on the Shelf, or your gravy may end up on the kitchen floor, but these are the pieces of THIS holiday season that will stand as part of your story forever, so don't let them tell the whole story.  Find the things that bring you together and never let them get lost in the noise.  We made something called "Sugar and Spice" tonight, and we toast to a memorable 2013 'Seasonings Greetings' to all!
CHEERS FRIENDS!

Sugar and Spice Cocktail

1 oz  Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka
6 oz hot coffee
1 sugar Cube or a tablespoon of Simple Sugar
cinnamon garnish

Muddle sugar cube with  Whipped Cream flavored vodka and add coffee into a coffee mug. Garnish with grated cinnamon.