So here I am, declaring that I, Rebekah Sine Decker, the week of Thanksgiving, will NOT fall into the traps of the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season, causing me to forget the things that matter most, end up in a bundle of stress, spending too much money and completely missing the spirit of the season (discounts on otherwise more expensive wine).
Here is my plan:
I will not buy a THING on Black Friday.
And I sure as HELL will not shop on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. My chances of succeeding here are 50/50. First of all, I refuse to get up early so all the “sales” will be gone. Secondly, I don’t NEED a DVD of Allegiant for $2.99 from Target. I have 3 sitting on my desk. We couldn’t GIVE that shit away. Thirdly, I think Black Friday is the reason for the ruination of the Holiday season (for me). I won’t give in. (Confession: I need a vacuum and there will probably be good deals on Friday, so I might shop online.)
I will pace myself on the booze.
The Holiday season means great deals at the wine store with bottles I’ve never tried before and it’s very tempting to stock up every time I stop in with multiple bottles. I will keep the wine expenditure down and will only open one new bottle every 3 nights if I’m drinking alone, and every other night if I’m drinking with a friend. I hope.
I will not leave gift wrapping until 11:45 pm Christmas Eve.
And I will not spend noticeable money on wrapping paper. Today at Target I saw adorable paper– a 30′ roll for $5.99. It was like a brown grocery bag with gold tree stickers. But just 30 feet? That won’t wrap more than 2 of the sweater deals I refuse to buy from Gap for my sisters, and I have 3 sisters plus a step-sister AND a step-sister in law (to be). And the helicopter my nephew is asking for needs to be wrapped completely because we all know it’s not what $50 gift you put in the paper for the 3.5 year old that counts, but the wrapping itself.
So GUESS WHO IS MAKING A CHRISTMAS CRAFT? This girl! Anyone know where I can get gold tree stickers?
I will not be the laziest person on planet earth and buy a refill button from Amazon.
I thought this was a joke, but it is a real thing. The Amazon Dash is here— a branded button from your favorite brands, that you press to automatically reorder items you use often directly from Amazon.
Can we BE any lazier?*
*she says while seriously considering the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Cracker Dash Button
I WILL send out cards and they will be BEFORE Christmas
I LOVE receiving Holiday cards. And I love looking back at the cards I have sent over the years. There have been photos with my cats, photos of my vacations and there was the year with all the selfies.
Usually, I’m stressing to get cards into the mail before New Year’s. One year I didn’t send them until February, but this year it will be different! I want to send a recap of my year to my friends and family in early December. Or maybe it will just be a picture of me and my cats. Yeah, it will probably be that.
I will shop local and small when I can.
Gap you cannot have my money for your clothes I don’t even like! I live in a MAJOR city. With GREAT shops. I want to make it a priority to pick our unique gifts taht make me think of the person to whom they are being gifted from a small local company.
And I will not enter a mall.
You heard it here. I am not going to the mall. I hate the Mall on a Tuesday in May. And I ESPECIALLY hate the Mall during the Holidays. (The main shopping drag in center city Philadelphia does not count as a mall)
I will keep fresh flowers in my house at all times.
I picked up Eucalyptus at the Farmer’s Market in Brooklyn this weekend. So far the amount of joy it has brought me for a mere $8 is worth the fact that taking it back to my house meant I got leaves all over my car that I will inevitably not clean up for 6 months and it’s so big it’s basically taking up half of a wall in my dining room.
I wrote most of the above in jest but there is serious intent behind them. As I get older, the years pass by faster and faster. It is discouraging to see how distracted I can be by things that don’t matter during this time of year that is supposed to be about family and friends and the REASON for the SEASON. (Discounted wine, if you recall.) And this year I want to be different. I realize changing old patterns and behaviors is hard, especially at this stage of life (being old AF, I mean), but I am determined to take time to reflect, enjoy the wonderful things that exist despite the hustle and bustle and commercialization of the Holidays.
I welcome any and all suggestions! Otherwise, wish me luck. Maybe I’ll check in in early January and let you know how I did!
