Christmas Party Madness

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...the time of year where everyone under the sun decides it's necessary to have a Christmas party...why? who knows...but seriously, it's madness.

I don't mean to sound like the Grinch...ask my husband...Christmas is literally my favorite time of the whole year! I absolutely love the decorations, the lights, the family time, the weather, and most of all celebrating the birth of our Savior....however this year the Christmas season has been particularly obnoxious. Why you may ask...because of one too many Christmas parties and because the one that I want to attend the most...my families annual Christmas Eve gathering...I won't be able to attend.

How many Christmas parties is too many? take a look at my calendar...11 and counting...


So if you are planning a Christmas Party for this year or in the future here are some tips to make yours one that doesn't end up on my "dread" list but the ONE that I actually want to attend.  (these are mostly to remind myself)

1. Don't ask people to bring a food dish...who wants to go to a party and feel obligated to bring something...maybe someone who doesn't have 11 other Christmas parties...but NOT me. 
2. Don't do any sort of gift exchange...someone will always get their feelings hurt plus who has extra money to spend on something that no one wants
3. Make it a come and go party...no one wants to feel trapped for hours at a party they probably didn't want to attend in the first place
4. If someone can't make it, don't change the date to a time that they can attend...it's likely they could have come on the original date but were giving an excuse not to come
5. Don't make the Christmas party about you...seriously I am so tired of "church" Christmas parties without a single mention of the real reason we can even celebrate
6. Do something for someone else...I don't need any Christmas parties to just eat and talk...do something for some one else...go caroling at a nursing home, bake cookies for your neighbors, wrap presents for a family in need...those are the Christmas parties that make a difference not just waste time

Ok...done with my Christmas party rant :) I love Christmas...so very much...but I don't like mindless parties that don't celebrate the reason why we even have a Christmas...Jesus.

Here are a few pics from some of the Christmas parties I attended and liked enough to take a picture :)

Disney World Christmas

Disney World Christmas

Disney World Christmas

Light Up Lake Hart

Light Up Lake Hart

Light Up Lake Hart