Skimpy Christmas -- or is it fuller?

Budgets are tight -- both financial and time. So... less in the stocking, one present per child under the tree, minimal December commitments, simple decor made from what we have, no time for long deliberation = buy the gift and be done.

I am loving this. Really. Less pressure, simple joys, tapped into creativity, people time versus busy doings. Even with a wedding looming (two weeks from tomorrow!!) life seems relatively simple here. Am I missing something?

It could be that tomorrow I will wake up and remember everything I've forgotten, but maybe not. Maybe things are almost together. I do have shopping left to do. And I need to try on dresses for the wedding. And plan a Christmas party. And...and...and...

But I'm not uptight about it all. With the house full (17 for pancake and sausage breakfast with 2 or 3 sleepy heads drifting in later, scrounging food for themselves) I've learned to relax, enjoy the journey, make the most of the moment.

Today will hopefully find me crossing off various list items: a trip to the florist, some final online shopping, a dress chosen, phone calls made, and food cooked.

Tomorrow will find us at our local Christmas tree farm dressed from head to toe to battle the cold. Certain things must be done and this is definitely one of them! But I'm finding that other things can be dropped or altered; the holiday will still be celebrated. Songs, laughter, prayers of thanksgiving, tears of joy for the Gift given, warm moments shared -- these will be ours in abundance, maybe even more so thanks to skimpy budgets!