Can we have a Christmas without a check list?

Is it possible?  Can we have a Christmas season without checking things off of the ever-growing list of things?  Probably not.

Baking.

Shopping.

Shopping again for the ones that crop up.

Christmas cards.

Holiday parties.

Donations.

School functions.

Birthday parties.  (For those of us with holiday babies.)

Cleaning.

Miscellaneous medical appointments.  (For those of us who have a bee sting that won't go away.)

Wrapping.

Trimming the tree and decorating the house.

Church. 

Church.  Should it be on a checklist?  Uh, no.  Just like we should give the first fruits monetarily, we shouldn't give church/God our leftovers, either.  I think about last week.  We're still extremely new to the church that we are attending, though falling in quite nicely.  They had a church Christmas dinner.  A few in our Sunday School class brought it up to us, but in the end, we just didn't go.  I still don't know quite enough people (I know, I know-- that is a way to get to know people) and I was eyeball deep in cookie dough.  I felt guilty, as I felt that I chose checking things off my list over spending time of fellowship with the members of the new church.  Actually, "feeling" that I was choosing was more so "choosing" cookie dough and baking over them.  Had I known earlier than just that morning, we'd be in a different boat. 

Still, I sit here on a quiet Sunday thinking about what I'm going to cook in the pressure cooker.  (Chicken.)  There is a hum of the computer.  K- is in her bedroom taking a "Mommy Math Practice Test" and Hubs is downstairs working on putting things together for our bird feeding area outside. 

My baking is done.

My shopping list is complete.

The surprise pop-up's of gift needs are handled.

Christmas cards were mailed the day after Thanksgiving.

Holiday parties have been attended or are planned.  In fact, I had to step away from writing this to assemble the craft kits for K-'s party.  Eeek!

Donations have been given, but there's room for more should the need arise.

School functions have been attended or attended to.

Birthday parties. (For those of us with holiday babies.)  One was yesterday and one will be Tuesday.  There will be one on Wednesday for school.  That girl can't say that we didn't properly recognize her holiday season birthday!

Cleaning.  Well, that runs on the rinse and repeat, but it's done-- for now.

Miscellaneous medical appointments. (For those of us who have a bee sting that won't go away.)  I'm thankful for doctors who you can get in to see right away, most of the time.

Wrapping.  Just a few minor incidentals left.

Trimming the tree and decorating the house.  Day after Thanksgiving thankyouverymuch.

Church.  Each week and Christmas falling on a Sunday isn't even enough to scare us away.

I want this week to be check list free.  I don't see that it can completely happen, but I've done everything that I can to ensure a fairly low-stress check list of a week.  It's not how it always goes. 

We can always hope.

Have a great day!