Christmas is over, now what?

I tend to make huge plans for Christmas break. Small jobs and big projects make my list of hopes for the holidays. And then the vacation arrives and one thing leads to another and I find it over while still holding a long, unfinished list.

Two weeks ago the break started off great until it was interrupted by Gretchen screaming, “Get out of here. I’m working on Christmas presents.” She wasn’t shouting at me, rather one of her sisters, and who could blame her? She comes from an illustrious line of big project planners. We’re starters though, and not necessarily the best finishers. Take me, for example, I have at least 27 projects in various stages of completion as we speak, which is something that tends to drive Linda crazy. This is nothing though; my mother is probably juggling twice that number piled in her bedroom alone.

When I was younger we were encouraged to put our projects to some sort of good then offer them as gifts for Christmas. “Gifts are more meaningful when we make them at home,” my mother would say then disappear behind closed doors for a day or so. As procrastinators, though, it was our habit to wait till the Christmas vacation began before starting, and then worked furiously to finish. Boundaries would be set up and lines drawn then protected with our lives. The secret business of Christmas gift making was all that mattered come December 20th or so.

We tended to aim high figuring that when it came to making things it was better to take on more rather than less. Then, come Christmas morning, we offered these gifts in various stages of completion. “Thanks for this partially finished robe,” one might say as easily as, “I’m not sure what this is but I’m sure I’ll love it when it’s finished.” Back then it was understood that value was placed in the effort and not the completion of a gift. It also went without saying that anything not completed by Christmas ever would be.

I’ve tried not to pass this particular habit on to my family and am happy to say I finished all my Christmas projects this year. I do, however, have a bed I’ve been making for Linda and I that’s 75% finished.