Is anyone else already preparing for Christmas, or am I the only crazy one?
It's October, and I've already ordered the kids' St. Nick pajamas and this year's Elf kit. And before anyone judges me, that little Etsy kit was worth every penny last year!
Between helping care for my parents, having my own children, and having my nieces and nephew with us, Christmas was a little more chaotic than usual. And while I absolutely adore this time of year, even the North Pole needs a little help now and then.
I've always believed Christmas magic is very real. It's in the little traditions, the unexpected kindness, the joy of giving, and the people who go out of their way to make someone else's season a little brighter.
That's something I want my children to grow up believing, too. Christmas isn't just about the magic that finds you; it's about the magic you share with others.
Of course, there's also my mother, who loves all the Christmas traditions and has made PLENTY of magic over the years but, in her later years, gets a little overwhelmed by everything that goes along with them. Which usually means my sister inherits the last-minute shopping, gifting, and wrapping.
And while my sister loves Christmas just as much as the rest of us, I'm fairly certain she'd prefer not to spend Christmas Eve buried beneath a mountain of wrapping paper wondering how she got recruited for North Pole overtime.
So this year, I'm getting ahead of things. Or at least pretending to be organized.
My biggest Christmas dilemma this year? Where in the world am I going to hide everything?
Our house here in the south is nowhere near as storage-friendly as our old house in the northwest. And apparently, when you're trying to keep a little Christmas magic tucked away until December, closet space becomes a surprisingly valuable commodity.
But that brings me to something I've been thinking about lately.
I absolutely love our life here in south. The children are happy, our neighborhood is wonderful, and there's a sense of peace here that I haven't felt in years.
But goodness, do I miss my house in northwest.
And my garden.
my good neighbors.
Oh, how I miss my garden.
I miss the flowers, the space, the familiar corners of a home I poured so much of myself into. I miss watching everything grow and having a place for all the little things I'd collected over the years.
It's a strange feeling, being so much happier with where life has taken you while still missing pieces of the life you left behind.
I don't miss the stress, the chaos, or constantly looking over my shoulder. Not for one second. But I do miss the home and garden I loved.
I suppose that's part of starting over. You can be incredibly grateful for the peace you've found and still miss the things you had to leave behind.
And maybe that's part of the magic of this Christmas, too. New memories, new traditions, and finding little ways to make this house feel more like home.
Preferably with a few additional closets.
Anyway, back to my regularly scheduled Christmas chaos.
If anyone has brilliant ideas for hiding Christmas surprises in a house with practically no storage, I'm all ears.
And please tell me I'm not the only one Christmas shopping in October!
