The late-night pizza and Mountain Dew fueled explorations into complex topics
that, when illuminated by morning and a couple hours of sleep, failed to retain
that brilliant, panic-enhanced hue?
And then handing in something you feared might just be garbage?
You would have thought we’d have learned. But here we are, a couple of weeks
from Christmas, madly surfing Amazon for gift ideas and tossing the decorations
at the tree with Whoville efficiency.
How does this happen every year?
If you are a writer, or anyone else who works with deadlines, this time of year
can be especially sleep-deprived. And it doesn’t help much that it’s now dark
before dinner. Suddenly 5:00 feels like 10:00, and I spend a significant portion
of my day dedicated to yawning. And I wasn’t there, but I’m relatively sure that
when the gods of the work calendar congregated to decide how long we should have
to accomplish any given task, they began with a blank calendar. If a job is to
take three weeks, it should take three weeks in December just like it would in May.
Not so much. At least if you have a life.
So here I am, typing like mad, editing my next novel in the Portrait of Grace
series like a fiend, while attempting to keep in mind that there is more to life
than deadlines.
And there is. Christmas happens once a year, and it might be sappy, but it’s my
favorite. I love the lights, the tree, buying presents, baking cookies, Saturday
afternoons wrapping gifts, waiting for snow, singing carols, hot
chocolate…everything. I love everything about this time of year.
But working on a deadline during the holidays means I must be intentional about
enjoying the things that take me away from my work. So this year, I’ve created a
“must do” list in an attempt to keep my sanity while I complete my edits and
bake cookies.
See a live show. Not one that the kids put on, but a real-life, grown-up,
live show.
No baking after 10:00 pm.
Enjoy the kid’s programs. (Go ahead and call me a lousy parent, but trying
to get everyone corralled on a week night and then sitting for hours on
bleachers makes it easy to forget the magic of watching a group of nervous kids
as they do their best to spread holiday cheer.)
Find a Netflix series to get sucked into on present wrapping day.
Sing all the Christmas songs (except “Last Christmas.” Never sing that one.
BTW, the radio should stop playing it too).
Take evening drives to other neighborhoods, just to see the lights.
Donate time.
Involve the kids in the decision to donate that time.
After the kids go to bed, turn off all the lights except the tree, and then
sit next to it to read a few lines from that book on the bottom of the “to read”
pile. Try to do this every night.
Don’t forget to buy batteries.
Undoubtedly, I have missed something. What’s on your list?
Award winning author, Cara Luecht, lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her
husband, David, and their children. In addition to freelance writing and
marketing, Cara works as an English Instructor for a local college. Cara
graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from the University
of Wisconsin and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson
University. Currently, Cara is studying for a Masters of Divinity at Fuller
Theological Seminary.
Cara has three published novels: Soul Painter (2015 Selah Award Finalist),
Soul’s Prisoner (a sequel to Soul Painter), and Gathered
Waters (2016 Selah Award Winner). Her fourth novel, Devil in the
Dust, is scheduled to release in April, 2017 (Lighthouse Publishing of the
Carolinas). Soul Painter and Soul’s Prisoner will also be
joined by a third novel in the series, Soul’s Cry, in 2017 (WhiteFire
Publishers).
Go for a walk in the clear, crisp air and feel wonderful. (Sharon Berger 11:29am December 16, 2016)
Just to have fun and enjoy the holiday and time with the family. (Tanja Dancy 5:05pm December 16, 2016)
I try not to make lists anymore, they stress me out more than anything. I just try to relax and enjoy the time with family (Julie Parrish 6:08pm December 16, 2016)
I just keep things simple. Don't let the hubby rush me so much any more. (Nancy Luebke 3:36pm December 17, 2016)
Cuddle up with my hubby and sip some homemade hot chocolate. (Linda Knowles 9:41pm December 18, 2016)
I just relax and read. I am terrible with lists! Merry Christmas! (Vicki Hancock 6:19pm December 19, 2016)
I don't like lists but some are a necessary evil. I try to do some things ahead of time and then relax with a good book. (Anna Speed 12:07pm December 21, 2016)
Every year my list gets smaller and I give my presence, kindness and active listening skills instead of gifts. (Alyson Widen 1:51pm December 24, 2016)
Thanks for picking me for this worthwhile book. My daughter is an artist and by her nature, she observes and then expresses her impression in a moment of nuanced mood. I love the cover of this book and will eagerly read the emotion the author conveys. (Alyson Widen 10:51pm December 24, 2016)
© 2003-2025