Holiday stress?

Less than a week until Christmas. Do you have your shopping done? Your cookies baked? Decorating done? Your presents wrapped? And when are the relatives going to descend upon you? But wait. When are you going to get your hair cut? Groceries? This time of year? Who has time for groceries?

Yes, it's that time of year, and Christmas is encroaching quickly with Thanksgiving falling late this year. Less time to fit in all that last minute fun. The planners among us have taken this all into consideration and are all ready, set, go.

Me? Yes, I'm a little behind this season, but I've reached an age where I would rather leave something "undone" than stress about it. I haven't made as many cookies this year as in some years. My tree is up and decorated, but some of the other decorating I normally do isn't done (an no one will notice but me). I have a present for everyone, although they're not wrapped yet. That's on today's agenda. If the holiday season is fraught with stress, it's impossible to enjoy it, and I love Christmas too much to worry about the "little" things. More important is spending time with my family, and the day job has generously offered me four days of holiday in the next two weeks. Time to enjoy the people around me and in the quiet moments, enjoy the things that make me who I am (like writing).

Preparing for my post-Christmas book binge. I already have an uncorrected pre-pub edition of a Jayne Ann Krentz novel and another indie book that I'll be picking up tomorrow to review. Several on my "wish list" that I expect to purchase after Christmas and then I'll curl up in my corner and read for days. It's a post holiday tradition for me, and a definite stress-reliever after all the excitement of the holiday.

As a reminder, Hear for Rent is available until Christmas Day for half off at Smashwords (in case anyone else goes book bingeing for the holiday). Use Coupon Code Code VX35C when you check out at Smashwords.com.