Anticipation

Anticipation it’s making me wait.

I know it’s just a few days before Thanksgiving and not Christmas, but as the years go on, it seems like the two holiday’s have jelled into one. Even though we’re about to celebrate Thanksgiving, it seems like we are essentially being launched into the Christmas holiday season.

The holiday’s are a cornucopia of feelings and emotions. They can stem from dread to excitement. I love the holiday season, so I lean towards excitement, but it doesn’t come without some stress and yes, anxiety. For me, it’s the anticipation part that makes me the most uneasy. I have perfect scenario’s all played out in my head, and it often does not happen as I have planned. So anticipation can lead to disappointment and who wants that? Not me. So what do I do? What do we do? Do we not dream, not plan and not hope? Of course not, we should “do” all those things, dream, plan and hope but in a realistic way.

I have the whole Thanksgiving weekend planned out, as I said, the “perfect” scenario. It starts Wednesday night when everyone arrives to Sunday when the girls leave. The five of us will be together, which is wonderful, but at the same time, it will be the first holiday without extended family- a bit strange. We have always shared holidays with our family. Sometimes it was my side of the family, sometimes my husband’s and sometimes we co-mingled. This time will be different, it’s just us and I’m hoping it will be just fine.

I have to remind myself that I can’t control everything and my plan may not be the best, even though I’m pretty good at planning, if I say so myself. However, I have to leave some wiggle room for other opinions and decisions along the way, hence the family group texts have been a valuable tool. I have found that group texts help me set the stage, so there’s no surprises, and allows for feedback just in case my thoughts don’t align with the rest of the crew.

I also have found it to be helpful to put a general “schedule” in place. This helps you stick to your “goals” and as long as you have made it known, (dream, plan and hope) it allows others to voice their opinion of likes or dislikes. So this is my Thanksgiving dream weekend.

Wednesday night: Everyone has arrived, go to a local establishment for some evening cheer. It can’t be a late night since there’s much to do on Thursday.

Thursday morning: A light breakfast, March of the Wooden Soldiers on the TV (a life-long tradition) and get busy in the kitchen-prep and cook.

Thursday early afternoon: Weather permitting, appetizers outside in the courtyard (my plan is to write about this on Thursday, so I won’t say anymore).

Thanksgiving dinner: Eat sometime in the afternoon, likely closer to 3:00. Have a nice-filling meal, share some thankful thoughts and fun memories. Play a game in the evening and maybe watch a movie.

Friday morning: Get up, breakfast, load up the dogs and off to a tree farm for our Christmas tree. This has been a family tradition that has been kept each year-all but 2 I think. If time allows, come back and start decorating for Christmas or take it easy for a bit. Maybe do some shopping or head downtown at night.

Saturday Morning: Free time. Sleep late, eat, decorate, shop, leftovers…

Saturday late afternoon: Head to the beach, take the boat out and watch the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla-a parade of illuminated-decorated boats followed by fireworks over the water.

Sunday morning: Church, breakfast and off they go, back to their own lives-one in Charleston, one in Brooklyn and one stay’s here. Sounds pretty good right? Let’s see if “we” can pull it off.

There may be diversions along the way, there always is, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be a wonderful weekend just the same. I look forward to us being together, whatever may come.

So, the season of anticipation is upon us. It’s something that goes back thousands of years when the shepherds and the wisemen followed the star. Let’s hope the anxiety level remains at bay and everyone is healthy and safe as we head to the roads and airways. It’s a magical time of year. I’m hoping I don’t get caught up in the stress of the holiday’s, but have many chances to reflect on the wonder of the season.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving- as we have much to be thankful for!!