What have you removed from your MUST DO list for Christmas?

[Italiahaircolor]

I didn''t send cards either...

I filled them out...just got to lazy and then bam it was Christmas. So, no cards this year...oh well.

 

[AprilBaby]

No cards, no baking (everyone is always on a diet) and no Christmas candles in the windows. We didn''t even put ornaments on the tree this year. VERY lazy. All I am looking forward to is a week in Disney Jan 4!

 

[Elmorton]

Wait, drop things from our list?

No no no, we just add.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I never feel I have that much to do to necessitate dropping any task...however due to the poor Christmas card response this might be the last year....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I did send out cards, baked a bit and decorated inside (though we put up a mini tree this year instead of a full size). We did not decorate outside. Just didn''t get around to it.

 

[monarch64]

I don't have any "must-do's" I guess, I try to keep the holiday stress to a minimum and just do what I feel like doing. I'm not a baker, well rather, I'm not equipped with a kitchen and gadgets/utensils/bakeware to do so post-divorce, so I don't do baked goods anymore. I have always sent Christmas cards out, but this year I was SO not feeling the Christmas stamp offerings and ended up not sending any at all. Gifts I kept to a minimum, except for my almost 2 y/o niece, and even she isn't getting anything extravagant. Really the only above/beyond thing I'm doing is spending way too much on a tiramisu cake to bring to my immediate family's Christmas Day gathering. My mother decided she would break tradition and offer an Italian, family-style dinner consisting of different lasagnas, salads, and other dishes in lieu of the typical ham or turkey dinner. I thought a tiramisu would be appreciated and would complement the chef's efforts.

Oh! I did decorate 3 trees this year in my apartment. Posted two of them over in FHH on the Christmas tree thread in case anyone cares. I guess that was my only "must-do!" Looking forward to 2010 and continuing to keeping it simple!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

 

[jewelerman]

Didnt do anything this year.The money saved for cards, baking and small gifts had to go to medical bills.One of the doctors who I have been making payments to the last few years sent me notice that he wants the bill payed in full in 60 days...so all extra money will go to him.This is the first time ive ever just ignored doing anything for the holiday.Next year will be a better holiday im sure.

 

[partgypsy]

The biggest thing is we don''t travel for the holidays. When I was single, or before kids we did, and it''s been so nice not having to travel this time of year. All the rest (cards, decorating, tree, gifts, baking) I enjoy and can do because we don''t travel. I also had an epiphany where we only got about 4 cards this year (we send out 40-50). I said to my husband, you know let''s just not do cards anymore (except maybe a letter to a few people) and he said no, that''s the one tradition he does like. He wants to keep in touch and share how our kids look. Maybe in a few years we will phase it out.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/21/2009 7:37:34 PM
Author:HollyS
I've stopped sending cards. DH and I have received exactly two cards (outside of family) this year. So obviously I'm not the only one who gave up on this activity.

There was an article in the Seattle Times just a few days back about many people cutting back the number of cards mailed or simply not mailing any at all. One woman said she normally received 18-20 cards but this year got about five.

I only gave out about seven, when normallly I mail out 25 or so. Part of the problem was I lost my address book and do not want to call everyone and be stuck on the phone forever (!) and the other is because 44 cents per card just seems ridiculous.

The house is decorated: kids would be disapointed if it wasn't.

Baking I do not do. I did buy a couple gingerbread men cooking kits for my kids and we'll do those. I do make cookies from scratch about 7 times a year.