i am not martha stewart.

i once saw a martha stewart episode, back when she had her own show, that was all about the linen closet.... how to fold your sheets, cover the shelves with scented papers, how to organize, label, and essentially make your linen closet a show place. i don't do that. i don't mind that she does. or you do. do you? and i do like that glimmer of possibility... like cooking shows. i don't like cooking much, but mr.e.beck.artist loves cooking shows. so we watch them. and i like them. and i do not begrudge you your fancy sauces and mad slicing and dicing skills. but i also don't mind mac n cheese out of a box.

so, this christmas, i hope you don't have a martha stewart christmas. i hope your cookies and cakes and tree don't look like the ones on the front of magazines ... unless that's your thing. then, by all means, have at it!

my christmas thing is ornaments. i could color on glass ball ornaments year round if there was a call for it. they make me so happy. so that's what i like to do to get in the christmas spirit. no pressure, no guilt. just what i enjoy.....

my mom bakes cookies. lots of types. all heirloom recipes handed down through generations. i make some of them sometimes. but not if i'm not feeling it. no pressure. traditions are great ... especially the tradition of EATING christmas cookies ... but you don't have to do every single tradition that has ever crossed your threshold .... you can do the ones that work for you .... life has gotten over the top in recent decades .... bigger and brasher and bigger .... and that's ok if it is what you want ... but lots of people have holiday guilt... guilt about what they don't do right or well or enough of or big .... and to that i say stop. no guilt. do what you love. do it when you can. don't be a competitive christmas decorator/baker/shopper/gifter/partier .... find your own path... find the bits that work for you. YOU don't have to make ornaments. i don't have to make a traditional christmas dinner. YOU don't have to have an orange christmas tree. i do.

and ... for your non traditional holiday pleasure ... my current christmas listening is reliant k .... not traditional .. but fast and fun.....
here's a fave:




happy holiday prep to you and yours. don't make yourself crazy. do what you love.