December 21, 2006

What's perfectly perfect?

I am really, really stressed out right now. But not because of the holidays. Oh NO, quite the contrary. Due to my superior skills in the Art of Procrastination, I am scrambling to finish up some educational requirements for maintaining my CPA license. Requirements which must be finished by Dec. 31st. gulp. So yeah, I may be an idiot, but damned straight - I'm a licensed one.

I will give my family credit - they are pretty non-stressful during the holidays. I am hosting both Christmas Eve and Christmas this year, but really - it's no big deal other than I have to make sure the house is clean. Everybody brings food to such gigs, so the most I am doing is throwing out a meat n' cheese tray on Christmas Eve and then for Christmas day, doing a turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, and my Great Aunt J's Weird Whipped Cream Salad with Grapes, Cranberries, and Pecans.

Actually, as a kid, I don't remember my parents rushing around attempting to create a "perfect" holiday for us. Perfect holidays just happened - just as sweetest childhood memories most often do. As long as the turkey isn't dried out, the reception is clear for the football game and everyone gets a gift or two (it's the thought that counts, right?), then all is good. Sure, as a kid, I got a massive amount of toys and that was fun, but what I remember most is watching my grandma with my great-aunts and uncles laughing, telling off-color jokes and reminiscing about their childhood memories. Just as they'll do this Monday. So, my goal for my own children is that they not grow up watching their mother freak out during the month of December. We'll have some sort of traditions, I'm sure, but I have no idea what they will be because I'll just let them happen. As it should be.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, too.

Perfect.

8 comments:

Goofy Girl said...

I think the best holidays I've had are the ones that DIDN'T turn out as expected (aka perfectly). Take this past Thanksgiving...we didn't get to travel to our family's house, due to some unforeseen circumstances. However, we had a wonderful, PEACEFUL, beautiful holiday at our home. And all the food turned out perfect. Mr. Goofy said it was because we were so un-stressed. When we are stressed we always forget something...we leave the nuts out of the stuffing...forget the rolls...forget to chill the wine, etc. Relax and let the holiday happen. Ahhhhhhhh.

aibee said...

Merry Christmas to you too, cagey.

x

Carrie said...

What a great way to deal with the Christmas Crazies. Remembering it is suspose to be simple.

meno said...

The Christmas that my daughter remembers the most fondly (so far) is the one where the power went out all day and we went to a movie and had dinner at a mediocre Chinese restaurant. How's that for perfect?

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas, Cagey. :)

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful holiday! Oh, and I've tagged you for a meme, in case you're interested in a freebie post idea for next week. :)

Monkey McWearingChaps said...

Merriest of Christmases to you, X, and Arun. I hope all the licensing crap goes down okay (from a fellow sufferer of trade cartels).

Many kisses to you and the gorgeous gorgeous simian below (he looks so much like you it's ridiculous),

monkey

PS: do you know this is the first time in weeks blogger has let me comment on your blog. It had nothing to do with you, but rather that I had to log in to the software independently and create a new profile. GAH!

That Chick Over There said...

This morning my husband and I were talking about what would be necessary for us to achieve a "perfect Christmas".

The upshot? We would both have to revert to childhood.

Sigh.