Older and Wiser: Christmas Shortcuts

I keep finding shortcuts to lessen the stress of Christmas.  I still get stressed out to some degree, but I have found some shortcuts that lighten the load. 

1.  Don't bake:  Cookies, pies, etc., will find their way to your door via well-wishing neighbors and such.  Besides, we are all pre-diabetic anyway; 

2.  Don't wrap presents:  Wrapping paper is the most wasteful environmental crime ever.  Who pays money to throw something away?  Use gift bags instead -- put the gift inside using much less expensive tissue paper -- close the bag up with ribbon.  Use them again next year.  You will save soooooo much time and money.  Don't let gift snoopers be a deterrent to this method.  Why should you care if they spoil their own surprise by peeking? 

3.  Don't Send Christmas Cards Before Christmas:  Granted, this tradition is going the way of the do-do bird.  However, if you still like to receive correspondence via snail mail (and snail mail is coming back en vogue) don't feel pressure for your card to arrive before December 25th.  The Three Wise Men did not arrive until January 6th.  There is a reason we have 12 days of Christmas.  Personally, I LOVE the cards I receive after December 25th.  I actually have time to enjoy them instead of tossing into the heap of unread mail; 

4.  Don't Travel:  Yes, I'm guilty of not going back to see my family in Minnesota at Christmas.  However, we have much more fun when it's not -40* and risk the perils of traveling in wintertime with blizzards and such delaying and cancelling flights; 

5.  Prep Food:  If you are hosting Christmas Eve, Christmas Breakfast, and Christmas Dinner, (or perhaps all of the above) prep as much as possible before hand.  There are thousands of preparation tricks to make hosting a meal less stressful.  You will thank yourself.

6.  Realize You Will Not Complete Your To-Do List Nor Fulfill All Wishes:  Despite our best intentions, there will be people who will be disappointed no matter what you do.  Oh well.  If they love you they will love  you no matter what gifts you give or not give.