I promise myself each year that I won't do it.  I won't let everything get down to the wire.  I'll finish up my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving so I can enjoy the holidays like the rest of my family does.  I'll decorate and bake the weekend after Thanksgiving and get my cards out the following week.  Well - it didn't happen this year.  It didn't happen last year either.  In fact, it's never happened.  I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that it's probably never going to happen!  So why do I keep doing this to myself.  Why do I punish myself for being human, for being busy, for not getting superfluous tasks completed?  I don't know.  Why do so many women do that?  Maybe because we really believe that we are capable of doing it all - having it all - enjoying it all.  Well, I have news for you ladies - we aren't, we can't and we won't!  And - so what?  What happens when we don't finish up all of these little chores that we set ourselves up for - - -  -NOTHING!  That's right.  Contrary to popular belief, the sky does not fall if you don't get Christmas cards out - or if you don't get your decorations up until just before the holidays - or after, for that matter.  It's not important.  And what is important is what we're modeling for our daughters.  We will make them into "mini-mes" trying to do it all, have it all and be it all when we know we can't, don't need to and shouldn't want to.  Surely we don't want them saddled with this ridiculous need to try for "perfection".  What is perfection anyway?  Is it having the most perfect lights on the tip of your roofline?  Nope.  Is it having the most precisely decorated cookies at the school's cookie exchange?  Nope.  Perfection is when your family is spending time together - without expectation or guilt - just being together.  Model that for your girls, ladies.  Give them the break that we can't seem to give ourselves.  If you're lucky enough to have each other - you're lucky enough.  Here's to acceptance of ourselves and our limitations - and liking ourselves anyway. Hey - I just found the perfect gift for my daughters!!

Relax - really enjoy it this year --

Kathy