PrePlans for My Personal Time Off During the Holidays

PrePlans for My Personal Time Off During the Holidays

During the holidays (from Thanksgiving through New Year’s), I made pre-plans to enjoy some time off.

Some of you know from the Health challenge at the beginning of the year, my goals were to get more rest, drink more water and eat more vegetables and fruit.

So during the holidays, my pre-plans include:

Sleeping in at least 2 days per week-for as long as I like!

Reading at least 1 good book per week-even if I stay up late to do it (reading number 1).

Spending special days and times with my husband, my daughters, my brother and his family and my sister-in-laws and their families.

Trekking up in the mountains to choose and cut our own Christmas tree.

Spreading Christmas cheer.

Going to San Jose’s Christmas in the Park.

Hosting a Christmas craft event for friends and family.

Sharing Advent with my family and possibly friends.

Usually we’ve gone to Disneyland during Thanksgiving my brother and his family for the past several years. This year we spent it at my brother’s house with my brother and his family.

We plan to go up to the Los Gatos mountains to choose our Christmas tree. It is a fun holiday tradition. We used to take our Italian greyhound Skylar along but he passed away. We play the Beach Boys Christmas album on the way up and must have small candy canes to enjoy. My husband Steve and I wear our Santa hats.

Once it’s the day after Thanksgiving, Steve and I wear our Santa hats all around town. We may look silly but it’s festive and fun and makes people smile.

We also plan to go to San Jose’s Christmas in the Park. Cesar Chavez Park is surrounded by huge animated Christmas displays, Christmas music plays and there’s even “snow” – bubbles that regularly shower down on visitors.

For me, just playing Christmas music (I have a huge collection) is a joy. Wearing my sparkly red Santa hat is fun. Thinking about and planning for the Christmas craft event is pleasurable.

And yet, none of these (except for buying the Christmas tree and possibly craft supplies) will cost me money.

My children give me a bad time about spending Advent time together, but for me it is magical. Sharing a Christmas story by candlelight, singing a Christmas carol together and praying together as a family-these things feed my soul at Christmas.

For me, these pre-plans for my personal time off during the holidays make me feel warm, happy and content.

This is my personal entry for the ActiveRain contest "ACTIVERAIN CONTEST!!! PRE WINTER/HOLIDAY PLANS for BUSINESS and YOU " - See more at: http://activerain.com/profile/results#sthash.M6gOZvnl.dpuf. 

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