Home For Christmas

It was a long drive from #nashville while listening to my favorite holiday tunes! “I’ll be home for Christmas” is absolutely one of my favorites! It was written to honor men at war who missed their families + were far away. But let’s be honest, going “home” is not always as easy as it sounds.

Going anywhere for The Holidays can be a mix of emotions, feelings + situations. Then with the added pressure to buy gifts, help cook + spend a lot of time together... the whole thing is a recipe (only if put together carefully + perfectly) that will require effort to pull off! Why is this? What makes the holidays so intense? #expectations

All we fantasize about is a conflict free, debt free, magical Christmas where we laugh, drink eggnog, open gifts by the fire + maybe if we are lucky see snow! That’s adorable but (let’s be realistic) not always possible. So what do we need to do to not only get through the holidays... but to enjoy them? .

I have found I these three things to be helpful:

1. Communicate Clearly. Expectations? What you are wanting or needing from this get-together. What you want to do with the family? Remember, it’s okay to say “no” to others + it’s okay for them to say no to you! How much money you will limit yourself spending for gifts? Make sure to ask others what they have planned or need for their Holiday parties.

2. Plan Strategically. Make plans. Schedule out your time so that you can see everyone + have “quality time” (where you put your phone away) to truly enjoy the Holiday moments! You might not be able to do everything or see everyone, but planning will keep you organized!.

3. Be open to new possibilities! Be spontaneous! Get excited to meet new people. Go to a party, or just drink hot cocoa with the fam while watching a Christmas movie! The random moments are sometimes the best parts of the season! Great things are given to us when we least expect it + if we are too busy, we might miss them!

If you’re going anywhere for Christmas... enjoy the journey! It’s a beautiful gift to have others to share the Holidays with! Also, please comment tips, tricks + traditions you have! I would love to hear about them! Xoxo