The Pressure that December Brings

December can be one of the best times of the year.  I love walking up the stairs from the basement and looking out to see freshly fallen snow in the morning.  Snow still untouched by the hustle and bustle that life brings.  No tire tracks.  No foot prints.  No piles from shoveling.

But December can also be full of pressure.  The pressure to find the perfect gift.

I have some friends who are doing a meaningful no-spend crafty Christmas.  I'm excited because I think it's a great idea to make your good friends something rather than just picking something out in a store every year.  So it's something different.  But it's hard to think of something crafty to make when your not a huge craft person.  And the no spend part isn't going to happen because I need supplies.

The second part that makes it trickier is that while I know these girls, I really haven't known them that long, so I'm nervous about the meaningful part.  So I'm focusing less on that and more on the, I think they would use this and like this.

I have a few ideas.  Which I would share, but those friends read this blog on occasion.  So that would be bad.

In addition to making this gifts, there is the pressure of do I get this person a gift?  You know those friends that you see a few times a year, but they're still your friend?  And then if you do get them something how much do you spend.  It's not that I don't want to get them something, because I do.  I love giving gifts.  But it's hard to pick the right thing for every single person.

So my shopping list this year entails my brother, parents, a cousin (we do a secret exchange each year!), the 3 friends in the craft circle, a couple other friends, and a couple co-workers.  But, I only have gifts for my brother so far.  And it will probably stay that way for another week or two.

While I sit and write this and reflect on the pressure I am putting on myself to find the perfect gift I'm realizing that by worrying about this I'm missing the whole point.  It's about taking the time and caring enough to give something to someone else.  It's not about WHAT I get them, but that I care about them enough to WANT to get them something.

Remember the reason for the season!  And enjoy it all.