Make a list, take two + a giveaway.

 
Yesterday, I spent awhile pondering a conversation I'd had with a friend at church.  I described a customer of mine who has a theme for the holidays every year, which she uses to inform all her creative choices for that particular season.  (One year it was an all-white Christmas, another year was the sugarplum fairy...great idea, right?)  Then my friend said what really gives her pleasure at the holidays is baking. 

I replied with my standard "too darn busy to eat lunch" routine.  For the last five years, my busiest time at Dreamland has been October through December.  (Previously, it was summer.)  I learned early to just forego all personal creative pursuits until the mayhem subsided -- a lot easier said than done, but still necessary.  (If you followed my blog last year, you may remember I attempted a Holiday Journal, which I kept very simple...and didn't finish until early in the new year.)

Our conversation got me thinking:  what does make me happy at this time of year?  It's just silly to spend the holidays waiting for December 23rd (by which point my work is done) and then cramming a few holiday moments into one evening (including wrapping the gifts, making my grandma's caramels, figuring out what the kids will wear for Christmas Eve, etc.).  Then I remembered "the list."  Here's a repeat of my post from June 2008, with two more re-posts to follow this week, and a December 2009 revisit of the initial idea.

I'm hoping to share quite a few ideas in this blog for everyday creative living.  (And by creativity, I don't really mean making stuff.)  If you're reading this, you're a past customer, a friend, family...you already know that I try to nurture creativity in my little world:  I keep scrapbooks, I exercise, I send holiday cards, I use the library -- all are conscious choices I've made.  When I focus, I can do more/enjoy more/relax more (though I'm better at doing than I am at relaxing).  Here's how I got started:

Step One
Years ago I started a list of "Things I'd Like to Do."  I kept it in a notebook so I could add to it over time.  My initial thought was just to get all the ideas floating in my head down on paper so I wouldn't forget them.  My list looked something like this:

• decorate the house seasonally with pillows, wall hanging, hand towels, flag, etc.
• send an annual Thanksgiving card
• keep scrapbooks for the kids
• sew for myself
• get regular haircuts
• help at church
• have a collection of stories we read only at Christmas
• have a welcoming guest room
• send thank you notes

Forest was a baby, Juliet was a toddler, I was trying to keep my business going, we had just moved into this house, and apparently just remembering to get my hair cut was something I had to write down.

I included things I was already doing as well as things I've been wanting to do for awhile.  I lived with the list for a couple of years before I did anything more.  I reviewed it a few times a year and added to it occasionally (get into a housekeeping routine, read chapter books aloud, stop talking about money).

Now...go start your list.  Write five things or five pages.  Be exhaustive.  Pat yourself on the back.  Remember what you dreamed as a kid.  (I did actually dream of having a welcoming guest room.)  Tomorrow I'll help you turn that list of miscellaneous ideas into a plan of action!

I'd also love to know what you truly, madly, deeply love to do during the holiday season -- and I mean creatively.  Share your idea with a comment on this post and on Friday I'll draw one name to receive the quote above. 

Comments

[Cori Berg]

Well... I've been busy with a series of advent paintings for my church... and i feel a lot like you. But this is the first year I am not working for a long time.. and what I have started.. is sort of a dry run for my new year's resolutions...it's like a month where I don't have to feel guilty if I mess up and yet if i succeed.. WOW! I'm already far along come January 1.
Also.. I'm really trying to keep in mind the meaning of Christmas.. Jesus being born and put in a lowly manger.. Christ coming in a humble way.. makes all the craziness of expensive gifts, music programs, etc.. seem a little silly.
And one more thing.. thinking about Christ coming into human form... makes me think about needing to get more in touch with exercising and other things to take care of my body.. not just live in my head...
Thanks so much for your post .. it was wonderful.. now i want to go work on my list.

[twitter.com/stephanieshep]

I love to put together our Christmas cards each year. The last two years, with little ones, they have been less than stellar, but I still enjoy addressing the envelopes and thinking of the friends far and near that I'm sending them too.

[Abbie]

I've been struggling with motivation lately. I get so caught in the "what to do" that I am having a hard time getting those to-dos actually marked off the list! I did sit down yesterday and managed to knock out our holiday cards. I think the thing I would most like to work on is volunteering. I keep writing it on my list, but I don't get with it. That's what I hope to do a bit better this season!

[~Kathryn~]

I truly love to wrap gifts - I love making them as pretty as I can - lots of curly ribbon and bows and pretty papers

[chel]

This is incredible- I can't wait to read more about this!

You know what? I have NO IDEA what I "truly, madly, deeply love to do" in regards to the holiday season. Not a single idea. Every year everything gets so chaotic and my people-pleasing issues set in and I can't even focus on what gives me joy about the holidays.

I do love the pretty lights, the beautiful decorations, enjoying the Christmas tree. I love how COLORFUL the world becomes, how lit up and hopeful everything and everyone becomes.

I am going to go and make my list now. Thanks for the idea(s) as always. You have inspired me so very much these past few weeks. I can't thank you enough for that.

[jouette]

i LOVE the little white sparkly lights.
i LOVE making our signature fudge and giving it away as gifts.
i LOVE taking family photos & writing/sending the holiday cards.
but what i truly, madly, deeply love to do is FEEL the moments of our lives as we are living them, that halcyon magical moment when time seems to stop as if your mind is taking a picture you will never forget.

[Madelia]

What I love to do for Christmas is make little favors and stuff them with little things like (teabag, tealight candle, chocolate, scripture verse)and give them out to friends but also to the bank teller, waitress, cashier. I ask the Lord to lead me to the women who need extra encouragement. To see the smile on a womans face that you don't know what is taking place in their life light up is so wonderful.

Can't wait to see what you have tomorrow.

[Megan C]

I love to spend an afternoon with my mom and sister baking christmas cookies.

I love the solitude of spending a couple hours here and there making Christmas cards to send to family and friends. Especially when i get notes thanking me for the handmade cards =)!

Merry Christmas!

[Sasha Farina]

creatively, it got to be the gift wrapping.. if my handwriting is as nice as yours, i would prolly write all over my wrapping paper, you know, design my own? :)

Have a great sweet, fulfilling day!

[shana]

I love when I have just the right gift for someone, that's the best! Also, just spending time with my family!
Thanks,
Shana

[Margaret]

Decorating my home with seasonal flowers and greenery. I live in north Fl so my antique roses are blooming right now (we have two bloom seasons here) and this year I'm planing on decorating my Christmas tree with fresh roses. I have to wait until the day before Christmas so they are fresh- in the meantime I'll just have little lights on the tree!

[amelia]

I love baking. and planning cute things for all the get-togethers and festivities. and I've been making little hand-drawn cards every year for a while now and I really love that.

[Dar]

I look forward every year to collecting greenery, herbs, and berries to bundle with twine, creating boughs to place under windows on the front of the house. It gives me a reason to enjoy my garden in winter.

Our family has created hand-made Christmas cards and ornaments, not every year, but many years. This is such a nice way to spend time together.

I enjoy wrapping gifts. My favorite designs involve recycling fabric, as I try to generate as little trash as possible. One year I used remnants from the fabric stash for furoshiki. A quilter on my gift list enjoyed the wrap as much as the gift. Another year, I deconstructed thrift store clothes for an assortment of haberdashery goodness. My favorite was a package for hubby that incorporated an existing pocket for a special card (as Gina-pretty as I could make) and a braided leather belt (his belt, which I rescued from the trash).

We have a large picture window that I've turned into faux stained glass a couple of times. I use black poster board for the caming, and colorful tissue paper to fill the design. At night, it glows from within the house.

I've placed dried flowers on the tree, but now Margaret has me thinking... maybe I could use those single stem water tubes so I can have fresh flowers. Thank you Margaret!

I love Madelia's practice of spreading good cheer. Such great traditions from everyone.

[jen]

Wow - this is an incredible idea. I've enjoyed reading the other comments. I so want to do Madelia's idea!

I truly enjoy giving gifts. I really do - I like picking out the perfect gift, well thought out, and wrapping it so it's cute and 'perfect'. I love sending cards and cheer. I'm committing to focusing on what's important this year, and not getting wrapped up in the stress of it all. Thanks for the reminder!

[Susan]

I love this quote by Mother Teresa. She is one of my dearest friend's patron saint.

At Christmas time, I have to use my creativity in various ways.

1. Continually find creative ways to get my kids' focus off of the presents and onto celebrating the nativity of Christ.
2. Lots of Christmas baking and goody making - I love to decorate cupcakes and cookies so they are "just right" for giving to those who might need the lovely gesture, and sharing with my kids and husband.
3. While I do not like presents to be the focus of Christmas, I still want my Christmas gifts to be as God's gift was to me, to be lovely, loving, and to bring smiles to the faces of their recipients. So I go all out, not only choosing the perfect gifts for each person (hopefully), but also wrapping each gift in the same way.