Short and Sweet Christmas Thoughts

Have you reached the frantic stage of Christmas and New Years Eve yet? Have you not baked enough cookies, forgotten your great-aunt’s Christmas card with the family picture, can’t find last year’s door decorations? Fear not! You are among good company!

I tried to crawl (yes, crawl on all fours) into the part of the attic that is designated for Christmas wrapping and decorations. Well, I’ll be darned! Just like last year, it was hard to crawl in and back out. What in the world? Since when can I not go in reverse? Can you picture it? What a hoot. I did make it out but decided then and there to start downsizing decorations….any and all decorations. Yes, it would be nice to be a contortionist, but my back does not agree nor cooperate. That made

the decision easier.

So, I’m asking you to ask yourself the following:

Do you really, truly need extra lights on the Christmas tree this year? Nope, you do not! I give you permission to tell yourself you don’t. Don’t listen to what others say unless they want to go out to buy the lights and string them on the tree. See. How simple was that?

I have a friend who sends out Christmas cards in July. She says she is early. Ha! I love it!

My young friend called in tears last year saying not only was she broke but because of work, she simply didn’t have the energy to buy everyone a Christmas present. She just wanted to spend time with them. Period. She asked what she should do. I suggested she let everyone know she was not giving or receiving any gifts this year. She said, “can I do that”? Why, of course! Everyone not only understood but thanked her. See? Again, simple.

Do “simple” this Christmas season. Try reading books that you love but never make time for them. You can now because you aren’t doing all that shopping even if you do it all on the internet. See below for some reading suggestions. Or go ahead and make and indulge in your favorite Christmas cookies. Yes, cookies! You can take a walk tomorrow and help work off the calories. Go to www.allrecipes.com for a super

Christmas cranberry and white chocolate chip cookie recipe (you can use brandy or vanilla). Sounding better all the time, isn’t it?

My dear readers, I wish you all the most wonderful and blessed season. Relax, read, nibble, breathe, breathe again, hug someone or your fur baby, watch a Christmas movie with a loved one (my sister and I recently watched A Christmas Carol with her dog sprawled between us; I don’t know who was happier). Simplify your decorations, your meals, your expectations for yourself and others.

Blessings and happy aging,

Sue

Suggested readings:

• The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by M. Magnusson (not as scary as it sounds; it is about downsizing)

• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

• Silver Ladies of Penny Lane by Dee MacDonald

• The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis

• Outlive by Peter Attia, MD

• Dinner with the President by Alex Prud’homme

• Poetry Rx by Norman E. Rosenthal, MD

• Younger Next Year for Women by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge, MD