I used to have a business.
It was an online gift service that I ran out of my house for eleven years. I sold some baby gifts, some books, and tableware, but mostly I did food gifts. Big, beautiful food baskets brimming with fresh cheeses and pates, fruit, breads, chocolates and cookies… I just loved it.
I love to make things pretty.
As you can imagine, December was nuts-crazy. I would hire about four students to help me during the crunch time – to get the local deliveries assembled and ready for the 10 AM courier pick-up, and then to get all the items ready to ship by Fedex at 5 PM. We ran our butts off.
And at night I would never sleep well, worried that something wouldn’t arrive at it’s destination in good shape or a day late (so it would be spoiled) and the disappointment and the expense attached to such a sad affair would be… kinda crushing.
I would sleep for two weeks in January.
When soon after our second child was born, I realised something had to give. The demands of such a business compared to what I would actually pun in my pocket at the end of the day just made it impossible to continue. I decided to close 3 years ago, and outside of the odd tear, it’s really okay with me. (And no, I don’t think I’ll ever start it up again – it’s okay that it’s over.)
It wasn’t so bad when it was just Martin and me, but once the children arrived, well… you really need to make Christmas for them. Even in Oliver’s earliest years when I was still working, I practically chucked the balls on the tree the weekend before Christmas and bought him a candy cane. I didn’t have the time or the energy for much more.
In the last few years, we’re making more of an effort. I DO love Christmas! I always have! For years I exempt myself from going the distance because of my seasonal business. We’re in the early days of “Christmas morning” stuff in our house. I mean, the ones they’ll remember. We haven’t figured out what our traditions are yet… will we ever do Christmas Eve festivities? Maybe if we get our acts together in time and have all the wrapping done BEFORE then, and not be cursing in the basement, bleary-eyed at 1 AM, for leaving it to the last minute. Again.
We’d been getting used to having French toast (made with gorgeous, fluffy egg bread) with warm berry syrup, sausage and scrambled eggs… Martin isn’t eating bread anymore, but I think that can still be done. And we listen to jazz. We’re still working out the details.
What I’m glad about is that we don’t have any hard-fast rules about the holidays. Not about family, or about rituals, or about foods, or anything. We see our families as it works best for everyone. There are no feuds. That makes me feel relaxed.
I though we would have our whole house decorated by now, but sadly, one by one we’re working our way through a family cold… the tree is in the stand, but the decorations are aaaaaaaaall the way in the basement, and those once-a-year boxes are waaaaaaaaaay in the back of the hard-to-reach place when we keep the seldom-used-stuff. Le sigh.
Maybe I’ll have the strength to haul them up tomorrow. Or the next day.
I won’t really feel like Christmas until I do though. I know. But I’m hoping to get my jingle on by the weekend.
At the veryleast, for the past month or so, the children have been listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas… so, that totally counts as getting in the spirit, right?
but the work you have done in house is like Xmas every day!enjoy and give yourself a break!
This year I think Chase will finally understand opening presents so we are really excited about that. We won’t be in our own house as we will be traveling to see family but I don’t really mind that, it’s nice to be surrounded by loved ones. Hopefully next year we’ll be a little closer and get to start some traditions just the four of us.
I think you should be sending me this special french toast, if not the real thing then at least the recipe. 🙂
The less holiday stress, the better, right Julie? I might not get everything I’ve planned done in time, but in the end, as long as we’ve got some stuff on the tree and some nice foods around, I’m happy enough. (But I do so love the Martha way better… that bitch wrecked my life, man.)
I’d have you over in a nanosecond, Sara! Anytime!!
Tracey – If I lived closer you I’d have come over and decorated your house for you last month (I’d have worked around the renovations!!).
You too Sara! I’m kinda crazy that way…
can I please come over for the french toast…but like TODAY….
your family seems to have the same approach as ours. i never got holiday stress as we never had it growing up, thankfully.
by the way…just in case…if you ever think of getting back into bid’ness again, i’ll take the one on the left! 🙂