Yule stresses

I may love the yuletide season, but that doesn't mean it isn't stressful. In my enthusiasm for the season (and my new unemployment) I have taken on nearly a dozen different craft projects, including making all of my own holiday cards. Any of these projects would be fun and rewarding on its own, but together they form an incredibly daunting prospect. And I swear that I've found a new project to try every day this month! Today it was making surprise balls using crepe paper to put into stockings. Yesterday I was going to make a mom a brand new stocking (her current one is looking a bit ragged). I need to stop. I need to at least finish one or two of my current projects before taking on anymore! But it's difficult. There's so much pressure to make the "perfect" holiday, especially if you are hosting. And we haven't even figured out what we're making for Yule dinner yet!

Another source of stress is, of course, the gift giving aspect of the season. I enjoy the gift exchange -- the way it bonds giver and givee in the cycle of generousity and gratitude, the fun of finding just the right gift -- it's stressful, but in a good way. Or it could be. My husband and I are still fighting a losing battle with our families regarding how many gifts to exchange. We both very much want to cut down to exchanging one, maybe two gifts per person, but our respective parents are less than keen on the idea. And while I appreciate that they mean well, I do find both the failure to respect our wishes and the rampant materialism to be an unnecessary source of holiday stress.

Attending a beautiful Yule ritual last night helped me to get back in touch with the heart of the season -- the turning of the wheel, community, relationships, embracing the dark as balance to the light -- but I'm still feeling frazzled. I need to figure out what I need to do to take care of myself and get back into the Yuletide spirit.