Top Ten Thursday - Christmas Dos and Don'ts

Welcome back to Top Ten Thursday!

With Christmas only ten days away let's discuss our personal dos and don'ts of the Christmas season. Is writing Christmas cards a must or a waste of time and money? Say "merry Christmas" or "happy Holidays"? Fake joy for a gift you hate? Re-gift a gift you hate? Be nice just because it's Christmas or risk a fight?

A feedback that two trained professionals gave me (at completely different points in time, about 10 years apart) was that I needed to try and channel my energy and focus, otherwise I'd squirrel all over the place and get nothing done. 

1. So a mayor DO for me is to make up my mind about the things I want to do if I can't do them all. This applies to activities, visits, crafts, baking, decorating, gifts,...
2. DO include other people in our advent calendar. In the past years it was for Colin, my parents, hubby and myself. This year we've added some VIP to our list, and I couldn't be happier about this because they are so surprised!
3. DO make time to go and see the Harley Santas! Such a happy and cool event!
4. DO ask what people want for Christmas. Officially we only make gifts for kids, but my parents babysit for free, so I always give them something special. With hubby being too busy to go shopping for his Goddaughter I've taken over this task. Hey, shopping for a girl is an experience I otherwise don't have! I make it a point to ask her Mom for specifics though, because I hate all the well meant gifts Colin gets. He never plays with them, and we end up donating or throwing them away.
5. DON'T give perishable gifts. As nice as homemade cookies are, if you mix them up in a bag or box they get soggy and un-enjoyable. Plus people have too much food these days anyway. I like rain checks like "I'll bring a freshly baked bread over on every first Sunday of the month" or pizza delivery vouchers for those days you can't be bothered to make dinner.
6. DON'T attend gatherings you don't want to. Ha, how I wish I could actually make that happen. Not a fan of hubby's relatives' Christmas day. So steeped in tradition. Same procedure as every year. 
7. DON'T write Christmas cards. Unless you totally like and want to, of course. I used to like and want to, back when I was living alone and had two or three nights I could spend, spreading out cards, glitter, stickers, envelopes, pens, address books (ha, yes, it was a time without smart phones!) I am amazed by the handful of friends who still take the time to send hand-written cards, I totally appreciate their effort!
8. DO NOT play Christmas music in November. Well, I don't. I like it - in due time, but it gets old, and I don't want it to lose its magic.
9. DO have a white Christmas Again... I wish! 
10. DO have realistic expectations. It's just Christmas. I tend to work so hard to make everything perfect and poof - it's over! The food, gone, the guests, gone, the gifts, open, now what..?

Can you relate to my dos and don'ts? What are yours? Let me know in the comments or link up your own post.

What's next?

December 21st, I'd like to try something a little bit different. No list this time. You choose one of your top ten Christmas songs (if you participated last year) or just pick one you like and create a back story. Example: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Michael Bublé We want to hear about the characters in that song, and especially all the fun they had last year! Your story is only supposed to contain ten sentences. OK? Go! Here's the link to the sign-up.

For the last post in 2017 which publishes on Thursday, December 28, I'm asking you to list all the things that need to be said or done before we turn a new page. Missed opportunities, highlights, unfinished business, to do before the year ends, tell us about your top ten! Sign up here.