Look, Charlie, let's face it. We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket. It's run by a big eastern syndicate, you know.

What's a girl to do when she's down and out at work?
Dress herself up all sorts of cute and pull herself together for another day. One of my kids told me I was dressed very much like my starbucks cup. It was one of my gifted ones, and as she is extremely fashionable, I took it as a compliment.

I've been wanting one of those J.Crew-ish hair bands, but they're about 20-ish dollars, and I don't even pay that for shoes. So one night this week, I just made myself one with three little reddish spray roses, and it cost me less than a dollar. I curled up my hair in a ponytail and threw on the headband.
And
I
Rocked
It.

Last night, I came home and turned on a Hallmark Christmas movie that I'd recorded. Cheezy, but useful for the purpose at hand: putting away almost all of my Christmas.

When I drug out all of my Christmas decorations, I put the favorites up and out first. The small silver tree that has slowly become my favorite. The advent calendar I got last year and hadn't used yet. The Indonesian batiks that are stunningly beautiful, but don't come out very often. The wreath I made two years ago for my front door, that has been one of my favorite decorations ever.

And the rest...
Those go back in the boxes. That then go back in the closet.

The clutter was getting too much, and I made the executive decision to just let go of the need to have it all out.

I think it will help me be able to breathe again.