{"id":7724,"date":"2020-11-15T19:43:31","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T19:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theparentsocial.com\/?p=7724"},"modified":"2020-11-29T18:29:04","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T18:29:04","slug":"december-and-christmas-reset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theparentsocial.com\/december-and-christmas-reset\/","title":{"rendered":"December and Christmas reset"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I started writing the Christmas cards last night. It\u2019s actually a bit late for me. This might sound a little bonkers, especially as I don\u2019t like getting Christmassy too early. However, since my mum died I took up the mantle and do all the cards on behalf of my dad (plus my own). Being slower off the mark this year might be part of my ‘Christmas reset.’ <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This normally signals the start of an intensely busy and stressful time. Aside from the big day itself, we have six family birthdays crammed into the first two weeks of December. I also do my dad\u2019s Christmas shopping for him as he’s clueless. He does so much for us the rest of the year I can\u2019t grumble too much. However, it does add to the stress.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas reset <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year, strangely even with the upheaval and weirdness of Covid and lockdown, I’m feeling more relaxed than I normally do at this time of year. Everything\u2019s been pared down. I think it\u2019s enabled me to step back a bit and focus more on what really matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lockdown birthdays <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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My daughter is fully understanding that her birthday is going to be different this year and that’s taken the pressure off. Instead of booking something months in advance (like you have to for December birthdays), we’ll just have to wing it last minute. Her birthday falls on the last day of lockdown 2.0. We’re hoping restrictions will be lifted and we can hastily organise an outing with friends for the following weekend. However, who knows how it’ll pan out??? What we do know is, we’ll make it special in whatever ways we can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas and December socialising <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

December is usually a minefield of social engagements: work Christmas party, lots of dos, cramming in seeing as many people as we can before Christmas day… My husband arranges something for my birthday on December 10th and we try to do something for my dad’s birthday three days later. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE socialising but the logistics of trying to shoehorn it all in are boggling and a bit exhausting. Scaling back is actually quite refreshing. I think I’ll love it all the more next year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we will still be doing this Christmas – Christmas reset <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Advent calendars, stockings and a letter from Father Christmas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

We’ve got our traditional advent calendars that come out each year. There’s the wall-hanging one that we fill with chocolates and The Nutcraker, which has 24 little books to read each night telling the story of the famous ballet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New for this year will be Sugar Plum Fairy ones from Paperchase<\/a>, which include stationery and accessories and a Boots<\/a> Soap & Glory one crammed with toiletries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n