Having a Peace Filled Christmas "Amish" Style

Hi Friends,

My past two posts talk about my visit to Lydia, my Amish friend, which helped me change my perspective on Christmas. It really is all about getting together with loved ones and having fun. I shared how the Amish celebrate Christmas over several days, ending on January 6th, Old Christmas.

I'd have to say this has been the most stress free Christmas I've ever had. I've only made one cookie. Pizzelles. You're denying your Italian heritage if you don't make them ;) So, I made a batch and my daughter and I pressed them on her birthday, December 20th. We now plan to make this a birthday/Christmas tradition, something I always felt wrong about doing. Can't mix the two celebrations because Christin won't feel special. Crack...my perfectionism is breaking. My birthday's on Old Christmas, January 6th, so the family's having one birthday party for us both over the next two weeks. No date yet. Doesn't matter because it's not about the perfect meal, setting etc. it's all about getting together and having fun.

I have to say that it was painful though when my husband said he wasn't making nutrolls until January 6th. He sent an email around work that the Amish celebrate Old Christmas and he was too busy to make his mouthwatering nutrolls. It was a tradition that he makes one for all his co-workers. I cringed when he told me. My mom taught him how to make this Croatian desert step-by-step and only he knows how to make them. I've never had a Christmas without nutrolls. I immediately thought of calling a bakery...CRACK! My perfectionism is falling to pieces. No nutrolls until January 6th?

So it's two days until Christmas and only pizzelles have been made, but I'm not stressed out. But as I reflect over the past two weeks, there's something I did that I've always wanted to do, but never did, because it would just kill my Christmas schedule....read a Christmas novel! So, I read Christmas Mail-Order Brides, a wonderful collection of stories, all focusing on the real meaning of Christmas.

Is there something you secretly wish you had time to do, but your holiday schedule is dictating your every move? Think about it? Is that living a simple life? To be bullied by the "Tyranny of the Urgent"? I'm finding much more peace saying no to self-imposed or society-imposed rules. Yes, my visit to Lydia's and learning about how the Amish celebrate Christmas has been life changing....my perfectionism is breaking...for good!