“For Christmas this year, try giving less. Start with less attitude. There’s more than enough of that in the world as it is — and people will usually just give it back anyway!” — Anne Bristow
I’m in a frozen state right now. I’m in Florida and it is cold for Florida, but it is not frozen. What I mean is that I’m in that state of mind, when I am so overwhelmed thinking about what needs to get done before the holidays, that I’m essentially frozen. I am doing nothing constructive towards what really needs to be done and allowing myself to be totally sidetracked by completely inconsequential tidbits, that have absolutely nothing to do with the holidays. I’m in a state of frozen-ness with my heart rate pumping, my mouth drying, sucking down way too much coffee and yet I can’t seem to get a game plan down and then, to take any sort of action towards that game plan. I like to think that I’m not the only mouse getting distracted by with what to do with my cookies. Am I right?
It’s times like these that I feel like cursing the maker of “The Elf on the Shelf.” My teenage daughter still looks for the elf’s new location every day and doesn’t hide her disappointment when the elf remains frozen in its same spot, day after day. Maybe our elf is comfortable where he landed. Maybe our elf doesn’t need to be-bop all over the house, but just wants to sit in a still, holy peace during the holidays. Maybe our elf is in the same “frozen state of mind” that I’m in. He is getting old.
Seriously, whoever came up with the “Elf on the Shelf” is probably now a multi-millionaire by giving the rest of us another guilt-induced chore during Christmastime. Wow. That’s the Christmas spirit. Here’s my idea. I am going to become a travel planner for elves. Next year all of our elves are going to be away for the holidays but if you pay me $29.95, I’ll make sure that your elf sends his kids a post card from Monaco.
Okay, even reading this over, I can see that I have a bad, Grinchy attitude today. Time to thaw my frozen state. I don’t want to be on the naughty list. Speaking of lists, I have a Christmas to-do list to get to, and maybe even actually cross one or two items off that list, for a little peace of mind. I’ll get to that after I fill up my coffee cup, grab a cookie and read up on the latest news about Meghan Markle.