Christmas Meltdown

Can I be honest? I don't really like Christmas. Oh, I like the idea of Christmas, and I have some wonderful Christmas memories, but Christmas has become characterized by insane rushing about, trying to meet everyone's expectations of what they want Christmas to be. And it all leaves me exhausted and discouraged. And this year add sick to the list. I have a heck of a cold, and I just want to crawl in bed and sleep until the New Year.

But Hannah (and others) look forward to the one day each year when I actually make cookies the real way...by pulling out the flour and sugar and butter and the humongous Kitchen Aid mixer. So we started the cookies tonight. So far they are a disappointment. The Giradelli cookie mix I bought (OK, so I cheated a little) created little piles of crumbs that, while they taste good, won't hold together for anything. The spritz cookie press yielded misshapen trees and stars, all with red sprinkles for consistency (I honestly thought I put one each of the green and red sprinkles in my grocery cart!) So with flour and red sprinkles covering every surface of our kitchen, and with no supper for the kids served yet (does cookie dough count for supper?) I've called it a night. Hannah still wants to make cut out, frosted cookies tomorrow. I just don't know if I have it in me.

Tomorrow is our annual seafood dinner - a tradition that started when Mom first served breaded shrimp on Christmas Eve when I was a kid. This year David has requested lobster tail. Dream on. Christmas presents are opened after church - not one is wrapped yet. Tonight I see lines of cars inching slowly through our neighborhood, looking at the Christmas lights. Are their cookies all done? Are their gifts all wrapped? I'm jealous that I don't have time to enjoy such simple luxuries.

So I'm feeling a bit Scroogish right now. I'm sure a good night sleep will help. A Carribean cruise would cure it for sure. I can definitely understand those who skip town and let someone else do the work for them in some Swiss chalet or on a Hawaiian beach. But somehow the thought of Christmas anywhere other than in snow-covered Iowa doesn't seem right. Even with all the craziness and stress.

Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28. Here's to finding some Christ in your Christmas.