I did it. I decorated our Christmas tree all alone this year. Well, almost. I only needed my husband to carry in the big boxes, but after that, I did it all alone.
Normally Christmas tree decorating gives me the blues. This year, for some reason, it was weird. Decorating the tree was almost therapeutic. Even when I had moments where I started missing the kids or my mom, I wasn’t sad. I was able to simply get into the groove and enjoy the process all while listening to Christmas music. It was a nice leisurely stroll through memory lane and just what I needed to kick off this year’s empty nest holiday season.
Putting the lights on the tree isn’t normally my job. I leave technical things like that to the pro, aka, my husband.
After gathering a helpful tip from him…”I normally just wrap them on the tree in whatever way they fit, there’s no special trick.”…it was time to figure it out myself. Without rushing, I began my quest and figured out how to put them on the tree without his help. Yes, I did it. In one try!
I even paused a bit, grabbed my camera and took some goofy pictures of lights while they were scattered about on the floor.
Why was my mood different this year, why wasn’t I sad or stressed? I simply broke down my to-do list into manageable moments.
At our house, we typically haul all the decorations into the house at one time. Easy right? Just pop boxes open, be all elf-like and get to decorating. In very short period of time, our energy slows as the mountain of boxes with all the stuff to put up or out becomes overwhelming and stressful!
As each box is opened up, the last year’s rush of de-decorating becomes rapidly apparent. Whatever item would fit in whatever box we had, we stuffed them and then stored away until the next year.
I find that unveiling process overwhelming, stressful and depressing. Not exactly the feelings one needs to experience while trying to enjoy the decorating process.
This year, I asked for only the tree decorations to be brought in. Nothing else, just tree decorating. Focusing solely on the tree worked for me. It was less stressful and enjoyable!
Focusing on one facet of holiday decorating helps you from becoming overwhelmed during the holiday preparations.
Good graycious, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
What are your tips for making the decorating process less stressful?
