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  • Writer's pictureCassie D. Tilton

Calm Before the Storm


Perfect Christmas corner: Lovely living room with wood fireplace lit. plant foliage hanging in a macrame plant hanger, garland decorated atop the mantle, with white and red colored stockings.  Framed Leonid Afremov painting hanging above the mantle.  Lifesize Elf and life-size grinch stickers on the walls on either side of the fireplace.
Our living room, calm and peaceful before Christmas morning shenanigans

Instead of posting on Christmas, I've decided to connect a few days earlier, just before the chaos ensues. You know, before all the gatherings with friends and family, ingesting exorbitant amounts of food that make you want to fall alseep sitting up, and the house becoming ransacked with toys, boxes, and loads of shredded wrapping paper. The last couple years our budget had been really tight due to the low blows that Covid dealt out that impacted my husbands business. However, God has really taken care of us and turned things around for the better, so now that we're on top this year we get to be showered with allllll the smiles our kids have stored within them when they see what all they got. Getting to watch them tear into their surprises and enjoy watching them test out all their new goodies is the most fulfilling part of the day. Seeing the joy on their faces is the icing on the cake. This year, Christmas is extra special for us.


In years past we would hop from family members house to family members house on Christmas Day until one year we decided we wanted a stress-free Christmas Day, so we made some changes. We chose to create a tradition of reserving Christmas Day for us to enjoy together at home with the kids in our Christmas pajamas. All. Day. Long. No rushing around or jet-setting out the door to be anywhere. Just us, being present together at home, peaceful, with mimosas in hand with nothing else to do but soak up the squeals of excitement and get to watch the kids see what all they receive. No agenda other than to relax and let the kids lead our time together. At some point we always make time for face-timing, air-clinking our glasses to toast our closest friends, and to catch up and share the stories of our kiddos opening presents. It has become a day we really look forward to. We never even stress over making a full, traditional holiday meal either. And the trash...well we just let that go too for the full effect. It's truly a day reserved to being completely present and going with the flow. Even squeezing in a cat-nap too!


The still moments of the afternoon and evening are what I really enjoy. Spending quality time with my husband and the kids is time I will always cherish. When their hearts are happy and content, enjoying their leisurely pace, it makes my heart light and full of gratitude. So...this Christmas before you are in the midst of the hustle-and-bustle, try to take a few minutes to just sit and view the calm that is around you. Take it all in. Feel all the feels. The crazy will happen, but there is no need to rush or egg on the stressful antics. Just be. Your kids will learn to appreciate it too.


I hope each of you have a very Merry Christmas, Lovelies!


Sending each of you loads of Love and Light,

~Cassie

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