It’s the most wonderful time of the year — or at least it’s supposed to be.
I love Christmas. I mean really love it: decorate-before-Thanksgiving-level love. But sometimes I stop and ask myself why I get so worked up over it.
Does the holiday season leave you more stressed than joyful? Between gift shopping, rising bills, and back-to-back family obligations, the weeks leading up to Christmas can feel chaotic.
No string of twinkle lights can erase the anxiety that comes when you finally open the credit card statements and see all those “great deals” that seemed irresistible at the time.
In our family, November and December are nonstop: birthdays one week after another, Thanksgiving, multiple more birthdays, and then Christmas. By January we’ll have enough frequent-flyer miles for a few free flights, if only we could afford a hotel or a real vacation.
Money isn’t the only constraint. With parties, gatherings, and obligations filling every weekend, it’s hard to find downtime. This year we skipped birthday parties for the boys because everyone already has so much going on, and the kids end up with more presents than we can store.
If you’re reading this and rolling your eyes, thinking I’m being dramatic, I get it. It can sound like I’m complaining about “first-world problems.”
Still, I know I’m not the only one who feels stretched thin by holiday expectations. I love this season — I really do — but sometimes I have to let my inner Grinch out for a little while or I risk snapping when least expected.
At the same time, I try to remember how fortunate we are. Mike gets time off work, we don’t worry about food or shelter, the kids are healthy, and we could even have two Christmas trees this year. Those are blessings I’m grateful for, even when the to-do list feels relentless.
Yes, the reminders about what the holidays are “really about” are important, and I hear them. But where else can I vent if not to my virtual friends on the internet?
Thanks for letting me get that out. I already feel a bit lighter.
Happy holidays, and take care of yourself.
Cranberry, White Chocolate, Pumpkin Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 Teaspoon Grated Orange Zest
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Fresh Cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips
- Confectioners’ Sugar for dusting
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest. Cook until the butter melts and the mixture is fragrant. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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When the pumpkin mixture reaches room temperature, whisk in the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
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Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
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Fold in the chopped cranberries and white chocolate chips.
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Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
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Bake for 14–16 minutes. Let cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Recipe adapted from Homemade Decadence