A Perfectly Imperfect Christmas

December 24th, 2013

This year hasn’t been the picture-perfect Christmas by any stretch.  There’s many things left undone, traditions skipped, and not everything has went as planned.  Laying in bed most of the week last week with a respiratory illness was difficult when there were presents to wrap, Christmas cards to be sent, neighbor gifts I wanted to make, last-minute shopping to finish, and homemade treats I wanted to bake.

Missing my side of the family’s Christmas, a Christmas work dinner, and a concert didn’t make it any easier.  But there’s a bright side to everything.

Less fuss. Less expectations. Less busy. Less hustle and bustle. 

While there have been more Trader Joe’s cookies consumed than homemade, and my house is not holiday home-tour worthy, no one seems to be disappointed. Perhaps I saved Christmas with the egg-in-the-hole stars we feasted on for lunch or maybe the 3 ingredient reindeer food that I whipped up last night? 

No one seems to be lacking in Christmas spirit.

We’ve made good memories together, even if they haven’t been monumental or what I would have planned. There’s been more snuggling on the couch watching movies, more low-key, more simplicity.

I don’t think they’ll look back on the Christmas of 2013 and say, “Remember that year that you didn’t do Christmas crafts with us?  We didn’t decorate sugar cookies? We didn’t even have Christmas pajamas!!!!!!”

Nah, I think there are plenty of other things that we’ve done wrong throughout the year that will scar them for life.

This Christmas?  It’s perfectly imperfect.  And we’re fully embracing it. 

{After all, it can’t be worse than when we ate McDonald’s for Christmas at the airport, but then again, that was pretty awesome too.}

This post is part of a series that I’m partnering with Hallmark during this month of December. I’m honored and grateful to be part of their “Life is a Special Occasion” campaign this December.  Don’t you love the Pics’n’Props Photo Kit?