Is Simple the Answer?

Yesterday was Thanksgiving.  We cooked and laughed and ate and napped and watched Home Alone.  And then we ate pie.  Chocolate, Coconut Macaroon, and Pecan.  It was perfection. 

But then I woke up today.  And the very first feeling? The first thought of the morning?  There’s not enough time. 

I love the movie Love Actually.  My husband and I watch it every year.  One of the things I love the most is their countdown before the vignettes.  Five weeks to Christmas, four weeks to Christmas, three weeks to Christmas…

And I was always a little envious of that long of a Christmas timeline.  I was older than I care to admit when I finally realized it was because they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.  I mean, of course they don’t.  Only Americans celebrate a Thanksgiving the last weekend of November. 

I’m one of those people that have always been protective of that.  None of this skipping over it to put up trees nonsense.  I love it as a holiday and want to honor it and have all of my cute “Fall” decorations up while it is still technically fall.

There are posts about it all over the place.  If you put your tree up early “you’re one of those people”.  You’re not doing it the RIGHT way.  And I’m ashamed to say I’ve been in that camp a long time.  As if you could do holiday decorating wrong. 

But this year? 

This year I’m jealous. 

I woke up the morning after Thanksgiving lamenting that there wasn’t enough time.  It was like the holiday blues decided to kick in before December 1 is even able to make an appearance.  Because that’s what I’ve got.  I’m staring at a Christmas timeline and actually sad. 

I’m going to miss something.  I’m going to forget someone.  I’m already behind.  And it’s making me upset.  This year there just isn’t enough time!! 

“What is the point of decorating for Christmas?  We’re not even going to be here for it and only going to enjoy it for a couple of weeks before it’s time to put it away.” 

At the beginning of November I went on a girl’s trip for a weekend.  We went to Herman, MO and it was wonderful.  Herman is a little town that has deep German roots and is now surrounded by Missouri vineyards.  And it’s so much fun.  The snobs are sure to be unimpressed but the adventurous will always be pleased. 

We visited five wineries, tasted/drank a lot of wine (most of it good), ate out, packed a huge picnic lunch, rode a trolley, and talked and talked and talked.  It was wonderful.  Over one of the dinners we somehow got on to the topic of Simplicity.

I am often the odd man out when it comes to simplicity.  There is a time and a place for it, DEFINITELY.  But there’s also a time and a place for complexity and inconvenience. 

I will purposefully complicate my life with recipes for no other reason than I know I’ll be STOKED if it turns out.   Because the result is worth the effort.

Just yesterday on top of making Thanksgiving Dinner (and without my mom it would’ve been A LOT harder), I decided to make rolls from scratch.  Paul Hollywood’s crusty dinner rolls.  Had I ever made anything like that before?  NOPE.  So, sure, let’s add it to the list.

And it was worth it.  They were great. 

That huge picnic we had on our girls’ trip?  It wasn’t easy.  We had to lug bags around with us.  We had to bring the food with us from home.  We had to plan on needing coolers or not.  We had to bring plates and napkins and forks.  And a knife to cut things.  It was a bit of an ordeal.  And it was worth it. 

We had sunshine, a chill breeze, cheese, bread, sausage, marmalade, dips, chips, cookies, gluten free pound cake (Lizzie, this will never get left off!), veggies, and wine. It was idyllic.  (And we had people walking past us commenting “We should’ve thought of that!  We’ll do that next time!”)

And not convenient. 

It’s not just about meals either.  The same could be said for almost any outing. Or trips.  Or pets.  Or kids.

…or holidays.

Simplicity and ease?  Or complexity and inconvenience? 

I routinely ask myself these questions. 

Unfortunately, this morning, I let a lie sneak in and try to steal my joy. 

I love Christmas.  LOVE IT.  It’s my favorite holiday. 

And yes, it is not at all helpful that Thanksgiving is so late this year. 

I could go the route of simplicity.  In decorating.  In treat making.  In cooking.  In present buying.  All of it.  It would certainly make my life a little easier. 

But come Christmas time, my kids would be disappointed.  So would my husband.  And so would I. 

If you are a “simple is best” person, great. I’m glad you found something that works for you! But in my life? I’ve found that whether simple or difficult, I can still fall in the trap. ESPECIALLY during the Holiday Season. The trap isn’t complexity. Or over commitment. Or difficulty. Or simplicity. Or rigid easiness.

The trap, the real trap, is joylessness. 

No matter the speed of our lives.  No matter the busy-ness of our lives.No matter the simplicity of our lives. Joy is the solution.  If we don’t have it, then even in simplicity will we feel drained and short tempered and ‘behind’. 

Joy is deeper than happiness.  It’s bigger than a feeling.  It’s a state of being. It’s bigger than timelines. Bigger than calendars. Bigger than simple and easy. Bigger than complex and inconvenience.

So, it’s time to be purposeful.  Time to guard this season.  Time to guard our hearts.  Time to guard our joy.  Even if it isn’t convenient or easy. 

If you don’t know how to find it?  Start with love.  Go to the source of love.  And then ask for joy.  Ask for that shield to protect your mind and your heart and your house not just in this season, but always.  And Christmas is the perfect time to search for it. And to FIND it.  After all, this is when we celebrate the ultimate joy that was given to Earth. 

Then and only then, when you wake up one morning and struggle to feel happy about the timeline of a holiday?  You’ll know that if you choose simplicity and ease or complexity and inconvenience, you can do so with a song in your heart.  And a smile on your face. 

And maybe a cookie.  After all, it is Christmas time.