Why I Don’t Have a Christmas Tree
When I first moved out on my own, I had a Christmas tree. A live one in a pot. I thoroughly enjoyed decorating it with my own ornaments, and turning on the lights in the evening. After Christmas, it got planted in my sister’s garden, where it lived happily for several years before giving up…
#ChronicChristmas Day 16: Prepare for Stressful People
We all have them. This family member or acquaintance who tests our ability to stay calm and enjoy the holidays. Likely said person only have our best interests in mind. Of course, it’s also possible that they are profoundly self-absorbed. Motivation doesn’t really count, what matters is that we end up pinned in a corner,…
#ChronicChristmas Day 15: Give the Gift of Time
Everyone is so tired. No matter who I’ve talked to in the last few weeks, the common theme is being so exhausted that they simply can’t enjoy the lead-up to the holidays. And I could wax poetic (okay, more accurately rant) about how ridiculous it is that we have all become so busy that we…
#ChronicChristmas Day 14: Celebrate the Holidays
Christmas is a very dominant holiday. It’s quite rude, when you think of it, the way it has invaded everywhere (yes, I’m joking). In that way, it’s much like the English language, which James D. Nicoll described as not just borrowing words from other languages, but “on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways…
#ChronicChristmas Day 13: Bake a Cookie
PS Stacey shared a fantastic idea about a cookie exchange on my Facebook page. #ChronicChristmas is an Advent calendar of tips for a sane holiday season with a chronic illness. Check back tomorrow for the next tip. To see all the posts in the series, click the #ChronicChristmas label below this post.
#ChronicChristmas Day 12: Cut Down on Gifts
Find the line between the gifts you want to give, and the gifts you’re giving because you feel you have to. Some families practice secret Santa, others pick names so each member of the family only buys presents for one person. In my mother’s family, the rule was that once you hit 18, you were…
#ChronicChristmas Day 11: Keep It Reasonable
This season is all about going all out. And it’s too much for everyone. So pace yourself — not just with eating or traditions, but with the multitude of celebrations. If you go to all the holiday parties, neighbourhood drop-ins, get-togethers for drinks, office parties, and so on, it’s a virtual guarantee that you will…
#ChronicChristmas Day 10: Embrace Your Inner Dane
Embrace what?? Hygge is a Danish term that’s hard to explain exactly. Cozy gets part of the way there, but is also about intimacy, trust, love, being comfortable with where you are and who you’re with. It often involves good food, sitting together and having wonderful, supportive conversations, and there is almost always candlelight. It’s…
#ChronicChristmas Day 9: Build a Snowman
No need to get all label-y. Snow Person. Or, a unicorn, an icy sand castle, or an igloo. The point is to regress to your childhood. To a snowy afternoon, when your mom bundled you up, and told you to go out and play. To remember standing with your head thrown back and your tongue…
#ChronicChristmas Day 8: Say Hello
Let’s do an experiment today. Instead of being glued to your phone, book, or block out the world by popping in the earbuds and listening to music, leave it all in your pocket or bag, and look up. Look at the scenery as you drive by. I should clarify that if you are actually at…
#ChronicChristmas Day 7: Use Reindeer (or Technology) for Cards
Signing piles of Christmas cards is enough to give anyone a cramp, but when you have chronic pain, this part of the holiday preparations can lead to flares, and a strong desire to create ice pack mittens for your aching hands. So don’t. The Internet is a wonderful thing, making so much of our lives…
#ChronicChristmas 6: Throw Money at the Problem
Have the holidays become a problem instead of a celebration to you? That’s a sure sign that you need a holiday intervention. Okay, so is not a full-fledged intervention, but one in which you grab yourself by the scruff of your neck (metaphorically, if not literally), give yourself a shake, and… Throw money at the…
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