Dreamscape Jewelry Design

December 23, 2018: Traditions To Treasure

“The human soul can always use a new tradition. Sometimes we require them.” Pat Conroy

As the month of December, seems to fly by, the amount of stress we experience seems to escalate.  If you read articles on holiday stress, dismaying figures  are presented showing that  33 to 80% of Americans perceive some type of stress.  Stressors range from financial to the pressures of creating the “ideal” holiday. Pinterest boards explode with images of perfectly decorated homes, designer worthy wrapped packages, and gourmet meals.  Magazines line the shopping aisles, showcasing how you too can create this magical event.  There are articles which give advice on how to minimize stress, but these seem to fade into the background, when seen side-by-side with glorious images of gorgeously staged rooms and tables.The pressure is on for many of us to perform.  Even if you love, like I do, the trimmings and traditions of the holidays, sometimes you have to let go of unrealistic expectations. 

December is a busy month for us with our jewelry business.  In the first two weeks we have three shows, two of which are in our home.  Our home is decorated for the event, which has us hauling out our decorations right after Thanksgiving.  Many of our presents are bought, as we find them throughout the year at shows.  So the thought would be, much of the work would be done, right? Not really. We continued to be busy right up to this week end  with custom work and filling orders. With two days until Christmas, my lovely tree is still undecorated.  I haven’t wrapped a single present, and my cards are sitting by my desk singing a Christmas Carol of neglect.  But I learned something a few years ago that has helped me to remember what’s really important about this holiday season.

At one point, during that time, I thought, well it’s a tradition, but did I really need all the work of putting up and decorating a tree? Fortunately my husband  Ron, knows me well enough to  know that I did. As a result a new tradition began and continues. My beloved granddaughters, Maya and Zoe, are coming over this afternoon. They will help us decorate the tree. At 6 and 9, there will be a preponderance of ornaments placed lower on the branches of the tree.  The finished tree will not appear on any Pinterest board, but will be created with just as much love and attention. Tonight we’ll watch Christmas movies in our pjs and eat popcorn.  Tomorrow morning, Christmas Eve, we’ll venture out to get the supplies to decorate a “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree for the birds.  We’ll visit the local bird store buy seeds and when we return home, will read Night Tree by Eve Bunting. Pine cones will be rolled in peanut butter and seeds, fruit strung on wires and the tree will be clamped to a table for a festive gift for our feathered neighbors. To the delight of our granddaughters last year, within minutes of decorating the tree, it was flocked with birds.

My presents will get wrapped sometime before our family get together. .A friend reminded me that there are 12 days of Christmas so the cards will get written eventually.  But these new traditions with our granddaughters bring us joy and memories to treasure throughout the year to come.

We wish you and your families a holiday with love, joy and happiness .  Celebrate with old traditions and create new ones to make memories to cherish.